<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Can I Love You? by iExpress</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23187892">Can I Love You?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/iExpress/pseuds/iExpress'>iExpress</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Keroro Gunsou | Sgt. Frog</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Emotional, F/M, Fluffy, Friendship, Funny, Romance, Sad</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 05:47:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>26,101</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23187892</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/iExpress/pseuds/iExpress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Summer came along and this year, it brought something strange and new to Giroro. This will be the time to remember.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Giroro &amp; Hinata Natsumi, Giroro/Hinata Natsumi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. What's with that Smile?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>It wasn't the first nor the last time that Giroro had given many hours of his thoughts to a certain red headed girl. It wasn't the first time nor the last time he'd forgotten to remind himself that he's a soldier and as such should act more appropriately, as he indulged into the fantasies of holding her hand, stroking her hair and sharing dinner with her. It wasn't the first nor the last time he'd finally snapped out of it hours later and slapped himself for acting like a school girl.</p>
      <p>The Hinata family gathered in the living room along with the rest of the Platoon, where they enjoyed a game of charades after dinner. Ever since the summer days came, the household had been much merrier, with Aki taking some days off and school being out. Every day, they would indulge into a different activity, as if those days were never going to come back again once the summer was gone. It was a different kind of mood, a new kind of mood that Keroro thoroughly enjoyed, and has used as an opportunity to start the official summer holiday of Keroro Platoon. No one was sure whether such a thing was official or not, but Giroro seemed to be the only one who minded it, still being convinced the invasion should be done as soon as possible as a part of their duty. As such, he decided to skip the game evening and remained outside, wanting to remain alone with his thoughts, sitting on the stone step, and baking potatoes – characteristically, his mind and eyes had kept coming back to the red headed girl who had just successfully portrayed the meaning of <em>"stupid frog"</em> in body language.</p>
      <p>It wasn't the first nor the last time that Giroro thought his sense of duty was getting in the way of him having fun. It wasn't the first nor the last time he wished he could be more relaxed and more in the mood for games like these.</p>
      <p>It was, however, the very first time, that Natsumi Hinata had suddenly taken a certain kind of interest in his typical behavior. Their eyes had met for a fragment of a second, and Giroro immediately looked back into the yard, regretting stealing a glance of her. He span the stick with the sweet potato on it nervously in his hands, hearing the approaching footsteps.</p>
      <p>Leaving Keroro to define whatever he was trying to define with his awkward dancing to Aki and Kururu, Natsumi had gotten up from the sofa and walked over to the step he was sitting on, slipping through the open door. She was about to call him in, Giroro deduced. He'd refuse, he further concluded.</p>
      <p>"Don't you want to join the fun?"</p>
      <p>Figures she'd ask that.</p>
      <p>"No thanks. I don't prefer playing such games, at the moment."</p>
      <p>"Oh, OK then."</p>
      <p>Figures she'd say that.</p>
      <p>"Then, I'll stay here and keep you company.</p>
      <p>… He didn't figure this would happen.</p>
      <p>Natsumi Hinata sat next to him and stared up at the starry sky, thankfully unaware of his suddenly red face and sweaty palms.</p>
      <p>"I can see why you'd want to remain here, though. It is so hot at this time of year, and evening chill is just right."</p>
      <p>"U-uh." Giroro confirmed clumsily. He gripped the stick tighter, as if his life depended on it. He tried to clear his head, but it was beyond him why Natsumi would leave the comfort of the game evening to join him in doing nothing. Obviously, it was getting to him to much – either that, or blood rushed too fast to his head – but he started feeling dizzy. It must've been obvious.</p>
      <p>"Giroro, are you alright?" She sounded mildly alarmed. No wonder; in the next few seconds, Giroro realized he was dangerously close to face planting into the grass. He straightened his back and decided to lie down.</p>
      <p>"I'm- I'm fine, I just need to lie down for a moment… must be the heat…"</p>
      <p>"Well no wonder, who of sane mind would start a campfire in the middle of the summer?" Natsumi laughed, promptly throwing some of the nearby gravel onto the small fire and dowsing it rather quickly. Giroro didn't say anything, lying down on his back on the cold stone and turning his eyes skywards – its distance had helped his dizziness and felt more at ease. As the fire went down, he could breathe in more of the fresh air, too.</p>
      <p>Sighing in relaxation, he wiped his forehead with his left hand and then left it lying above his head, his right arm dangling freely down and resting in the grass – it was a very uncharacteristic pose for him, but it stretched him and helped him loosen his body, something he desperately needed at the moment. He was just about to completely relax, when Natsumi sat down again – it was then that he realized she was sitting incredibly close to his hand. He stole a quick glance of her.</p>
      <p>She was indeed sitting so close to him. Her own hand had been resting on the step, barely several centimeters away from his own. He had only then realized he had subconsciously wiped his somewhat sweaty hand on his head. Stupid, he thought. Why in the world would she grab his hand?</p>
      <p>Then something fantastic happened.</p>
      <p>Giroro didn't know what she had done. Stretched herself, adjusted her position, Natsumi did something and for a moment he could hear her skirt ruffling against the stone as she did whatever she had done – but when Natsumi once again settled her hands on stone, her pinky and her ring finger… two of her delicate fingers had somehow, somehow, <em>somehow</em> ended up in his outstretched hand. Lying on his palm. This wouldn't be weird if Natsumi had realized her mistake right away and pulled her hand away. Giroro knew well how sensitive Pekoponians were to touch, how specific touches were reserved for specific persons; it was a social norm – and from what he's learned, this was definitely not the kind of touch a Pekoponian would share with a friend.</p>
      <p>Instead, Natsumi had remained at ease. Giroro all but went mad wondering how in the world did she not notice where she put her hand when a fantastic thought went through his head, an improbable, crazy, hopeful thought. Maybe she had an idea. Maybe she figured.</p>
      <p><em>Maybe she knew</em>.</p>
      <p>He couldn't help but steal another glance of her face, as terrified as he was of the fact she might notice it. But she didn't. She looked at the distant stars with a sparkle in her eyes and… the smile. Blissful, mysterious, happy, divine, cute smile that he had never seen before, the kind of smile she had never graced him with<em>.</em> Was it his current position that messed with perception? Was it dizziness? Was it the summer air? Was it simply him?</p>
      <p>
        <em>Why, Natsumi, why are you smiling like that? It can't be because of me. It ISN'T me. What is it?</em>
      </p>
      <p>Giroro was staring, he realized, so he looked at the sky instead. Minutes. Not seconds, full-fledged, 60-seconds-each long minutes passed as the two simply sat there, Natsumi's fingers in his trembling hand. It was, as he was staring into the sky, that Giroro started gathering courage. He swallowed once, twice, ten times, who knew how many times to heal his dry throat. He breathed in quietly and deeply and still felt redness in his cheeks. His tried to remain cool but he started to sweat even more profusely. He tried to relax, but his horribly tense back hurt against the cold stone step.</p>
      <p>And it was in that horrible, terrifying, decisive moment where he nearly cried out of concern, where he felt never happier and never more horror-struck in his entire life, that he, at the same time, decided to damn it all and decided he simply couldn't put his hope into something that wasn't going to happen – and his hand bent and his fingertips lightly, lightly touched at her hand.</p>
      <p>He remembered every detail of the lightest touch he had ever given. He remembered his index touching the nail of her ring finger. He remembered the next two of his fingers gently touching at her joints. He remembered his pinkie accidentally caressing her own. It was light. Light. It was just several finger, touching awkwardly, weirdly, slightly coated in sweat on his part, still and stuck for reasons Giroro couldn't comprehend.</p>
      <p>His hand was shaking. He wanted to say something, and he didn't know what. He wanted to know what was going on, but hated to ruin the beauty of it, selfish as it felt. At that moment, his duty as a soldier was the last thing that could cross his mind. All that was left were questions, hopes, fragments of courage and utter and complete confusion.</p>
      <p>
        <em>Why did this happen? How did it come to this? What should I do? What is </em>
        <em>
          <strong>she</strong>
        </em>
        <em> doing? Can I…? Oh, would you… would you, please? Natsumi… Natsumi, would you please tell me… tell me if it's alright, if it's OK, I only need </em>
        <em>
          <strong>you</strong>
        </em>
        <em> to tell me, to confirm… could I ever… am I allowed to… to simply, and only… without the oddity… without any ties, without any obligations… would you let me…</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>Can I love you?</em>
      </p>
      <p>Her fingers slid out of his hand. It wasn't harsh or fast nor rushed. It was gentle and normal and, Giroro was shy to admit, pleasantly ticklish. He heard her feet tapping on the stone beneath him and he finally remembered how to see. He sat up swiftly and gave Natsumi a bewildered look she didn't quite caught onto.</p>
      <p>"Oh, mum is calling me!" Giroro didn't remember hearing Aki's voice; no surprise there, for the sound of it had been buried underneath the sounds of questions in his head. Natsumi got up. She shot him her regular, dazzling smile. "Thank you for company, Giroro."</p>
      <p>And just like that, she was gone. Leaving the poor Keronian wondering, leaving him to reevaluate everything he thought he knew and leaving him to figure out just what kind of summer this was going to be.</p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Why are you doing That?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>The month of July had yet to drag itself over, and the afternoon air was already heavy and hot. Not one member of Hinata household dared to go outside during the heatstroke that covered most of Japan. Instead, they enjoyed the summer breeze and cool lemonade. The platoon didn't want to spend their days locked down in the basement anymore, because there were no windows to let in any fresh air, nor did Natsumi fancy the idea of all the ACs working all the time. It became a regular occurrence for all of them to hang out in the house together and as such, more than often there was a lot of noise and chit chat – today however, heat had gotten to everyone and nobody was in mood to talk much. Keroro and Tamama have devoted themselves to building more Gundam models while Kururu, as always, had been working on some contraption of his. Dororo had visited too that day, and found entertainment in observing Kururu's work.</p>
      <p>Giroro gave up polishing his weapons because in this sun, merely touching the hot metal on his guns caused his fingers to burn. He gave in to doing nothing useful for a change, which drove him crazy for a while – until he found joy in glancing at Natsumi, that is and leading a most once-sided chat with her; he may not have been a good speaker, but he would've listened to her all day long.</p>
      <p>He still vividly remembered the evening a couple of days ago and still had difficulties comprehending what had happened. He had tried to convince himself many times that Natsumi never noticed what she had done, never noticed just how nervous he got back then. And yet, whenever she looked at him, it felt like a completely different thing and in the end, Giroro simply didn't know anymore.</p>
      <p>What suddenly broke Giroro away from his thoughts was a pleasant wind that blew into his face; he had realized Dororo had been waving a fan at him.</p>
      <p>"I know we're all hot, but you're looking particularly red. Are you sure you're not sick, Giroro-dono?"</p>
      <p>"A-ah, no, no, I'm fine." Giroro breathed. "Thank you, Dororo."</p>
      <p>"No fair, Dororo-senpai!" Tamama suddenly sounded off. "I want fanning, too! Cool me, cool me!"</p>
      <p>"Ah, me too, me too!"</p>
      <p>"I wouldn't mind some fresh air either, ku ku ku~"</p>
      <p>Dororo ended up waving fans at half of the platoon, while he calmly suggested that by simply staying cool, they'll feel cool as well. His words fell on deaf ears. Natsumi, however, didn't have much patience for all of them trying to get Dororo's attention, noisy as they were, and soon shooed them all away.</p>
      <p>Suddenly a terrible shriek tore through the house.</p>
      <p>Hinata Aki had opened the fridge to make more of the lemonade, and realized in terror that nothing but ice and water were still inside of it – and there was nothing more horrible in Hinata household than the lack of lemonade during the heatstroke. Once they got over the good and bad reasons to scream like that, a very heated discussion of who will sacrifice their sanity to the merciless sun to go to the store and get some refreshments ensued.</p>
      <p>"Tsk. Enough." Giroro suddenly announced. Everybody in the room shot him strange looks as he proclaimed:</p>
      <p>"Fighting about it is pointless. I'll go and get it."</p>
      <p>"That's our Corporal Giroro!" Keroro happily accepted, relieved he wasn't chosen to go and get the hard task done, like he predicted Natsumi would make him do. "Going where no other Keronian or Pekoponian dares to go!"</p>
      <p>"You're just being lazy, Captain-dono." Dororo teased. As per usual, his comment went unheard by many – with the exception of Giroro.</p>
      <p>"Nothing new there, now is it?" He scoffed. "It's alright. A real soldier is supposed to easily withstand anything, even heats like this."</p>
      <p>"The last time you were exposed to big temperatures, I had to go and save you, if I recall correctly." Natsumi threw in teasingly. Giroro fumbled over his words to try and justify himself, but Natsumi added in quickly:</p>
      <p>"I'm just joking Giroro; but we'll go together. It is no fun going alone, but it'll be fun with company."</p>
      <p>"Y-you don't need to bother!" Giroro obviously blushed, but Natsumi set her mind onto it already: "Hold on, I'm just going to get dressed into something lighter." She skipped off to her room.</p>
      <p>Keroro used the opportunity to give Giroro a sly look. "Going on a date, are we, Giroro?"</p>
      <p>"D-date?!" Giroro nearly fell over at the sound of that word, but Dororo was quick to calm him down.</p>
      <p>"Now now, Giroro-dono, don't fret. Sergeant is just making a joke here."</p>
      <p>"Right, right, Giroro. No reason to get so upset." Keroro snickered. Giroro was getting seriously embarrassed and was almost regretting having decided to help, but he forgot all about it when Natsumi got back, dressed in a simple, but very Giroro-effective white summer dress.</p>
      <p>"Much better! You do have your disguise, I hope?" Natsumi added with a pout.</p>
      <p>"Indeed he does!" Kururu suddenly perked up, pulling out, of all things a small collar and handed it to Natsumi. Giroro immediately felt his cheeks heating up at the thought of wearing such a thing.</p>
      <p>"I have a new disguise device for you to test out, Giroro-senpai."</p>
      <p>"Just what is that?" Giroro asked, not at all trusting the contraption. Plus, it looked embarrassing. Like a pet collar.</p>
      <p>"It'll make you appear as a human child to everyone but the one who puts the collar onto you." Kururu explained. "The collar has a special field which distorts the vision of you into something else, in this case a child. But having detected Natsumi-san as the last person who touched it, the deception will not work on her. Quite a useful thing provided it works. You're hidden from everyone in an effective way without confusing your ally; plus, nobody would ever suspect a child had done anything." He laughed evilly again, naturally drawing a very suspicious look from Natsumi.</p>
      <p>"Are you sure you're not just executing some secret plan? Because if you are, you'll be in a lot of trouble." Natsumi deadpanned. Kururu laughed.</p>
      <p>"Ku ku ku~ don't worry, Natsumi-san. It is perfectly safe. For now~" He added ominously, his creepy laughter filling the room. Giroro cringed.</p>
      <p>"Whatever, let's just get it over with."</p>
      <p>"Right." Natsumi opened the collar easily and gently put it around Giroro's neck. He tensed up as her fingers touched his neck and avoided looking her in the eye, memory of the way their hands touched the other day fresh in his mind.</p>
      <p>He didn't feel a thing as collar snapped into its place and let out a small beep, indicating it had started working, but aside from him and Natsumi, everyone else suddenly let out impressed cheers and praises.</p>
      <p>"That's our Kururu-dono!" Dororo commented, amazed at the work. Aki had clapped her hands, delighted at what she was seeing and immediately noting down the character for future uses in a manga.</p>
      <p>"Kururu-kun, how come we haven't used this device in some appropriate manner already?!" Keroro demanded to know, astonished at what he was seeing.</p>
      <p>"It is only a prototype." Kururu proceeded to explain. "It still has many fixes to go through – I should warn you, the battery is at the moment very weak. It'll only run for one hour."</p>
      <p>Giroro and Natsumi could not see what he had looked like, but Tamama was quick to describe what he was seeing, amazed as well:</p>
      <p>"Woooo! Kururu-senpai, not fair! I want to look this cute!" He jealously added as he surrounded Giroro. "The fluffy blonde hair, the big round eyes and those chubby cheeks!" Before he knew what he was doing, he pinched and stretched Giroro's cheeks around, much to his chagrin.</p>
      <p>"That would be enough!"</p>
      <p>"Come, let's go already." Natsumi hurried. "We've wasted enough time in here as it is."</p>
      <p>Despite feeling weird going out while he practically wasn't wearing a disguise, it was nice not to get cramped into some random suit. It was by far Kururu's most sophisticated invention so far, especially for a prototype.</p>
      <p>Giroro had realized he never in fact took a walk with Natsumi. Not properly anyway. Not like this, without any tensions. Just going to get some refreshments. The realization of the simplicity of the act made him nervous.</p>
      <p>"Ah, this heat." Natsumi complained, waving a floral patterned fan. "It is at times like this I wish I had a parasol. I mean I know it's old fashioned, but it would serve its purpose."</p>
      <p>"Y-yeah." Giroro agreed, quite dumbfounded that they were making chit chat like this. It depressed him that even after all this time he wasn't quite used to making idle talk with her. Then he realized it was probably because they were alone.</p>
      <p>"S-so how far is that store of yours? I don't think I've ever been there."</p>
      <p>"I'm honestly surprised that stupid frog never sent you there for whatever he might've been planning during all his silly invasion ideas." Natsumi rolled her eyes. "It's a ten minute walk, by the park. We'll have plenty of time until your disguise wears off, don't worry.</p>
      <p>The fact they had so little time was in fact exactly what he found worrisome, as he wanted to spend some time with her. Nervous as he was, he found this surprisingly pleasant.</p>
      <p>They soon arrived to the store and while Giroro didn't want to admit it, he had already started feeling weaker. The Sun was having an especially strong impact on him today. Natsumi didn't seem half as affected by it, nothing more than reddened cheeks and a tiny drop of sweat on her temple indicating that she was walking on heated streets. He, on the other hand, regretted not bringing a bottle of water. Curses. What kind of soldier was he without the necessary supplies?!</p>
      <p>Natsumi gathered up some lemons into a plastic bag and had been looking for the drinks on sale. Giroro followed her peacefully, merely trying to stay patient and preserve energy until they arrived home. He felt way too embarrassed to come up to Natsumi and complain about the heat and feeling weak. If anything, he'd then not only look like a child, but act like one as well, he figured.</p>
      <p>He would perhaps succeed in his intention to stay put but then he bumped into a giant ice cream chest. Curious, he stood on his toes as high as he could and peeked over. Never did boxes of ice cream look as alluring as they did in that moment. Popsicles and ice cream bars of all colours and shapes took up a large part of the freezer and there was a plethora of freezies of different flavours. Although he was never a big fan of sweets, colourful, tri-flavour fruit popsicles looked particularly tasty and fresh and cool and…</p>
      <p>The more he thought of it, the thirstier did he become, but he'd been slightly entranced by the sight – so much that he never noticed a lady that had came up from behind him.</p>
      <p>"Hello there, hun! Are you lost? Can I help ya with somethin'?"</p>
      <p>Giroro turned around. If he thought Hinata Aki was tall, this was something entirely different. The sales lady was so tall, round and huge that Giroro was positive he never met such a gigantic person. Then again, he reminded himself, he'd usually go out in a modified body of a fully grown man. This was definitely a new perspective and now he realized just how inconvenient this method of disguising could be for any crazy plans Keroro might have in the future.</p>
      <p>He also remembered this lady here was seeing him as a child, and as a soldier he found it quite embarrassing that she had been treating him as one, too. He couldn't help it, however. He was going to say he was alright and didn't need any help, when he realized one thing – his voice didn't change. If his deep voice wouldn't be suspicious, he didn't know what would be. So he merely stood there, sweating profusely, by now feeling like he was going to faint from all the heat and, he didn't want to admit it, slightly terrified of the huge woman towering over him; in particular because he didn't feel like he could do anything if anyone found out about him.</p>
      <p>For the first time in what felt like forever, Giroro felt vulnerable.</p>
      <p>"Na-Natsu—"He squeaked in a silly voice, not sure of what he should do. He helplessly reached for Natsumi, who never noticed the predicament he was in.</p>
      <p>"Summer? Why, I know it is summer, lil' one. his damn heat must be the reason why you're lookin' at all that ice cream so longingly, huh?" She laughed loudly and heartily and it finally attracted Natsumi's attention. She curiously walked over to him and had to stifle a laugh when Giroro subtly hid behind her.</p>
      <p>"Excuse me, is something the problem?" She asked, slightly concerned Giroro had attracted some unwanted attention. The sales lady laughed as she pointed our Giroro's interest in ice cream and the two had a short chat, apparently being acquainted to each other. Two minutes later, they had bid each other goodbye and the sales lady went after her business.</p>
      <p>"I-I'm so sorry, Natsumi! I didn't mean to cause any—" He was convinced she'd find this a pain and would scold him over keeping them here for too long, but instead, he heard her laugh softly.</p>
      <p>"It's fine, Giroro. I must admit, it was quite amusing. Great and powerful warrior feeling threatened by a sales lady." She out her tongue out.</p>
      <p>"T-that's not what it was…" Giroro tried explaining in vain. Natsumi paused as her eyes scanned the chest. "…you want one of these?" She gestured towards the ice cream. Giroro shook his head vigorously to protests and it was all he needed to do for Natsumi to see right through him. She rolled her eyes and opened the chest.</p>
      <p>"No '<em>no's</em>'. Pick your flavor." It was the tone that clearly indicated the discussion was over. Defeated, Giroro had peeked into the chest. The sight of him trying to look into it, small as he was, was downright adorable and Natsumi had to try hard to suppress a giggle – it was even funnier when he tried reaching for it.</p>
      <p>"Need some help?"</p>
      <p>"No no, I got thi—" Before he could say anything else, she picked him up so he'd have a better view. Even the cool air of the freezer didn't help the radiating heat in his cheeks.</p>
      <p>"There, it is obviously easier this way. Go on, pick one."</p>
      <p>Trembling slightly, he pointed at the popsicle of bright colours.</p>
      <p>"Nice choice! It's one of my favorite fruit flavours." She picked out enough of popsicles for everyone at home and soon, they were going back with two bags worth of lemons, juices and ice cream.</p>
      <p>"Giroro, this sun…" Natsumi pondered out loud. Was it that obvious, Giroro wondered angrily? Still, if they kept going, perhaps he'd manage to come home without any bad consequences.</p>
      <p>"I'll be fine. We aren't too far from home now, are we?"</p>
      <p>"That may be so, but if you faint on me, who's going to help me carry these?" She teased. Giroro chuckled at her joke and it only inspired her further to insist on a small rest. "Come, let's take a break to eat those popsicles."</p>
      <p>They took a turn to sit down on a bench in the park. It was surprisingly empty, but Giroro figured any other normal person was enjoying the cool air at home and eating ice cream in front of television with AC working. In a way, he had to admit, he was happy about the empty park.</p>
      <p>They stopped by the water fountain to drink from it. His strength instantly returned upon drinking the water and with it, he managed to process a few very incredible thoughts. He was about to sit in a park, with his beloved Natsumi; and eat an ice cream. By all accounts, it wasn't one, but it felt like a date. It was a silly, childish thought that filled Giroro up with happiness.</p>
      <p>He really acted like a school girl on a date, he thought embarrassingly.</p>
      <p>"Here you go, Giroro." When they sat down, Natsumi offered him the popsicle he had eyed with such interest before. Upon tasting it, Giroro gratefully noticed it really wasn't too sugary, but rather fruity and refreshing.</p>
      <p>"Is it good?"</p>
      <p>"It's very tasty. Ah, thank you!" He blurted out, realizing he never properly expressed gratitude.</p>
      <p>"It's fine." Natsumi beamed. They were silent for a while, enjoying the popsicles, when a couple of minutes later, Natsumi started to laugh and Giroro felt his heart sink into his stomach out of embarrassment – his popsicle had melted quicker than he anticipated and he was having quite an unfortunate time trying to shake it off his hand – instead, it had dripped all over his fingers.</p>
      <p>"Man, you really haven't eaten many of these in your life, huh Giroro? Need help with that?"</p>
      <p>"I'm- I'm not a child, you know!" Giroro blurted out, by now slightly pissed off. When Natsumi had looked confused by his outburst, he immediately regretted it. Natsumi hadn't done a single thing to deserve such a harsh reply.</p>
      <p>"Ah… I'm sorry, Natsumi. It's just that… you've been taking care of me today, for which I'm truly grateful… but I don't like to depend on anyone. If anything, it should be the other way around, I think."</p>
      <p>Natsumi smiled and rolled her eyes again.</p>
      <p>"There you go being too serious again. I don't know how do you do things on your planet, but here on Earth, it is normal to help a fellow being." She explained. "Even if it's silly little thing like this; it's where the charm of it lies. Don't you agree?" She smiled <em>that</em> kind of smile and Giroro had once again wondered what it was that made her smile in such a way.</p>
      <p>"...I guess I can see now where you're coming from." He nodded, feeling surprisingly relaxed for a change. He could feel the blush in his cheeks weakening.</p>
      <p>"That's right. Now eat that thing up we can take care of your hand."</p>
      <p>Once done with popsicles, Giroro followed her to the water fountain. She pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed it with water.</p>
      <p>"Ah, thank you." Giroro reached for the wet handkerchief, expecting her to hand it to him.</p>
      <p>But something amazing had happened instead. And again, just like that time before, he couldn't comprehend why and how did it happen nor what prompted such a thing.</p>
      <p>Natsumi cupped Giroro's hand in her own and gently pressed the handkerchief down against his palm, slowly brushing at the sticky remains of a popsicle. He thought she'd stop. He was waiting for her to stop and allow him to continue by himself. But she never did. Instead, still wearing that blessed, wonderful smile of hers, she cleaned his palm gently and slowly.</p>
      <p>The incredible part of it was her fingers. Giroro couldn't understand why, nor did he at that moment particularly care, but her fingers were a bit too careful, a bit too exploratory, like she had never seen his hand before; like his hand was incredibly interesting and nice to touch, which was impossible. His hands, if anything, were rough from handling the weapons, from training, from battling. What in the world prompted her to do this?</p>
      <p>The handkerchief slipped away from his palm and between each and every one of his fingers, Natsumi effectively and softly removing any remains of the popsicle on it. Scent of lemons. Her hands still carried the scent of fresh citrus she had picked at the store. It was almost intoxicating.</p>
      <p>Feeling more awkward than ever, Giroro simply couldn't stay silent this time, for this was much too obvious for him, much too romantic, simply too much to handle without feeling like he's floating; he was simply too much on the receiving end, and he figured Natsumi couldn't have the slightest idea of how wonderful this made him feel. It felt almost unfair to her.</p>
      <p>"N-Natsumi, it's fine, I can take care of it myself."</p>
      <p>"It's OK, I'm nearly done anyway." Natsumi replied simply. She didn't look particularly… anything. It was just Natsumi, smiling her beautiful smile and, for some reason, cleaning his hand with such care that he was surprised he didn't melt just like that popsicle did.</p>
      <p>
        <em>Why?</em>
      </p>
      <p>She folded the handkerchief and wiped his hand dry with the clean side of it.</p>
      <p>
        <em>Do you have any idea whatsoever what this does to me?</em>
      </p>
      <p>Much to his utter confusion, she then simply held his hand, checking it out for any more spots.</p>
      <p>
        <em>You should stop it. But please, don't.</em>
      </p>
      <p>For several of the longest seconds ever.</p>
      <p>
        <em>Because it feels wonderful, Natsumi.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>...</em>
      </p>
      <p>"There. All done."</p>
      <p>Giroro kept staring at his hand.</p>
      <p>"Come on, let's go before those popsicles melt."</p>
      <p>He chuckled to himself.</p>
      <p>
        <em>My, that was mean, Natsumi. It was mean and wonderful.</em>
      </p>
      <p>"Yeah, let's go."</p>
      <p>He followed her, trying his damnest to prevent himself from losing the little he had left of his cool, trying desperately and unsuccessfully to hide his growing smile in the bag of lemons.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"Took you long enough! Where the heck have you been?!"</p>
      <p>"Shut it, stupid frog! Since you're so snappy, next time you'll be the one going to get these."</p>
      <p>"Gero! Just kidding, just kidding, Natsumi-san! Thank you for your service~!"</p>
      <p>"Who do you think I am, providing you service?!"</p>
      <p>The usual bickering continued for several more minutes. Once everyone got another glass of lemonade, though, it stopped effectively. Peace has returned to Hinata household with re-occurrence of citrusy goodness.</p>
      <p>The strong scent of freshly squeezed lemon juice spread through the living room, and made Corporal Giroro the happiest Keronian- no, the happiest person in the whole street and wider.</p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Would You let me Relax already?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"What~? You mean now?!"</p><p>"But mum, you promised us a movie night!"</p><p>"We've been talking about it for days!"</p><p>"And it's the Alien series! You simply don't miss out on Alien!"</p><p>"Didn't you say you had a whole month off?"</p><p>"ALIEN, mum!"</p><p>"Natsumi, Fuyuki!" Hinata Aki waved her hands defensively, "I know you're upset but there's really not much I can do about it. There is a very special one shot coming up that has been the hype of the manga world for a while now and my colleagues are behind with editing because SOMEONE accidentally spilled coffee on the drafts." She sighed in exasperation. "It is only one night, alright? We can easily leave it for tomorrow!"</p><p>"But mum, tomorrow I'm going out to watch stars with Serg!"</p><p>"Well, maybe the day after tom-"</p><p>"No no, the day after I'm going to do homework with Saburo-senpai! It is a one-in-the-lifetime chance!"</p><p>"I'm sure it isn't, but, maybe the day after that, we could-"</p><p>"No can do, I'm going to a supernatural phenomena museum, and—"</p><p>"Ok, stop."</p><p>Hinata Aki breathed in deeply as to calm down, and then flashed her children with the best of her motherly smiles.</p><p>"I'm really sorry, Natsumi, Fuyuki. I'll do my best to make us some free time next week. How does that sound?"</p><p>"Well, I guess that's fine…" Fuyuki finally agreed. "Man~ I really wanted you to see Alien, though…" He mumbled something else about 'must-watch' before heading for the kitchen.</p><p>Natsumi had a solemn look on her face.</p><p>"I guess that's understandable, mum. We'll just postpone it. No biggie." She finally smiled. Her mother ruffled her red hair.</p><p>"Thank you, Natsumi. Well then, I'll be going. The sooner I go, the sooner I'll be finished. If we're fast, I might be back for breakfast!" She gaveNatsumi her famous blink and a wave before grabbing her bag and leaving the house.</p><p>Natsumi waved back, her smile fading just as the door slammed.</p><p>"Geez. Stupid work…" She mumbled quietly to herself. Hinata Aki was a desperately busy woman during the year and that she could take. She was rarely at home for any of the meals of the day, and that, she could put up with. However, when her bosses asked for her to come in during her vacation, it was the one thing Natsumi couldn't take with quite the same amount of understanding.</p><p>"Man, if I could, I'd simply blast her whole damn workplace to bits."</p><p>"That can be arranged." Came the creepy voice from behind her. Natsumi jerked, the yellow Keronian falling into her view.</p><p>"Ah! You creep, you scared me!"</p><p>"Ku ku ku. Can't say it wasn't my intention~" Kururu chuckled. Natsumi frowned.</p><p>"Whatever are you here for, anyway? You better not be up to anything suspicious."</p><p>"Not at all. Leader sent me."</p><p>"What? Stupid frog did? What for?"</p><p>"After overhearing that you won't be having a movie night with Hinata Aki…"</p><p>"Whenever did he overhear that?!"</p><p>"…leader generously offered that the whole platoon provide you with company instead."</p><p>"A movie night with stupid frog and the rest?" Natsumi wondered for a moment – then a bright smile decorated her face, much to Kururu's wonder. "That sounds like fun. Ah, but we're not watching any of <em>your</em> weird movies. I've seen the kind of weird things you look up on the internet."</p><p>"Ku ku ku~ you haven't seen anything yet! Ku~kukuku~"</p><p>"I really don't wanna know." Natsumi scolded.</p><p>"Well then, I'll inform the Leader."</p><p>All he did, though, was press a button.</p><p>"Natsumi-dono~!" Keroro suddenly emerged seemingly out of nowhere, along with Tamama at his side, promptly scaring Natsumi into falling on the floor.</p><p>"Wha, what is this?!"</p><p>"Movie time, naturally. Didn't we just agree to have a movie night?"</p><p>"It's 3 pm, stupid frog." Natsumi spouted. Keroro blinked.</p><p>"Ah, so it is. Well then, all of us arrange in the living room at exactly 8 pm! Tardiness shall not be tolerated!"</p><p>"Ay, ay, Mr Sergeant!" Tamama agreed. As quickly as they came, they disappeared. Natsumi got up and dusted herself off.</p><p>"Well, since we're growing in numbers… might as well invite Koyuki-chan."</p><p>It was a good thing that she decided to do so, because it promptly meant Dororo was invited as well. And even Natsumi knew how much Dororo hated being forgotten.</p><p>There was only one person left who supposedly wasn't informed yet.</p><p>"I wonder if he's at his usual post."</p><hr/><p>"Giroro?"</p><p>The Keronian in question jerked, almost ripping apart the photograph in his hands. Faster than he knew he even could, he slid the photo of the read-headed Pekoponian back into the slot on his belt, took a big breath to calm himself down, then poked his head out of his tent into the hot sun. Thank goodness the summer was in its full glory, because his soft blush his body usually assumed around Natsumi could have easily been interpreted as sunburn. Natsumi have him a smile as their eyes met.</p><p>"Here you are. I assume you have nothing planned for the evening?"</p><p>"Planned?" Giroro frowned at the implication of the word and scoffed. "No, I don't have anything planned aside from doing the same thing I've been doing since our Platoon went on a supposed official vacation."</p><p>"Which is?"</p><p>"Absolutely nothing." Giroro bitterly noticed.</p><p>"Ah. Well in that case, you might, maybe, be happy to hear we'll be having a movie night, all of us. You should join us."</p><p>"A movie night?" Giroro questioned incredulously.</p><p>"You do know what a movie night is, no?" Natsumi wondered, making the Keronian blush harder at her assumption – he wasn't <em>that</em> inept at social interaction and activities.</p><p>"Of course I know what it is! ... Though, to be honest, I can't say I've been to many."</p><p>"This is a perfect opportunity then!" Natsumi beamed. "Everybody is going to be there. All of your frog friends, Fuyuki and Koyuki-chan."</p><p>"...Your mother?"</p><p>"Ah, well…" Natsumi told him in short about the change of plans.</p><p>"So, Keroro suggested we all have a movie night instead."</p><p>Despite not being the brightest when it came to reading the mood, Giroro noticed Natsumi's smile fall a bit as she told him of how her mother was too busy.</p><p>"Natsumi, are you alright? Y-you seem concerned."</p><p>"… to be honest, I've been really looking forward to spending some more time with mum." By then, she sat down on one of the bricks surrounding the campfire spot, indulged into their conversation. "I know we have plenty of time now that the vacation is here, but this is something we've practically been waiting for a whole year. So I'm not completely OK with it, to be honest…" she caught on to what she was saying and chuckled a bit hollowly. "How selfish of me to say that, I'm sorry! I must have sounded horrible."</p><p>"N-no, I can understand that perfectly." Giroro defended, her story reminding him of his own family. "In fact, my father was quite busy, being a soldier in the Keron army. He was a good father and a good soldier but, not always around."</p><p>"I didn't know that." Natsumi mused. "I guess it makes sense. No wonder you're so much into military."</p><p>"And proud of it." Giroro added, nodding. Natsumi rolled her eyes a bit.</p><p>"Well Mr-Soldier-and-proud-of-it, this night you'll be spending relaxing. As well as many other nights."</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>Natsumi got up, this time looking at him with a bit more stern look than before.</p><p>"Well, since you frogs apparently DO plan on having an actual vacation, you might as well relax for a change, no?"</p><p>"I-I guess that's true." He left it at that – he would be feeling a bit silly if he replied honestly and simply told her - he didn't know <em>how</em> to relax.</p><p>"Great then! We'll be starting at 8 pm!" And with another one of her cute smiles, she was gone.</p><p>Giroro spent the next ten minutes slowly realizing they had one of the more normal conversations. It made him happier than anything, and he wondered if this is something he should be more relaxed about.</p><hr/><p>"Movie night~!"</p><p>"Not so fast, stupid frog! If you want your movie night, go and bake some popcorns."</p><p>"Gero! Why do I have to do it?"</p><p>"Because Fuyuki and I are preparing other snacks and drinks. Make yourself useful already."</p><p>Grudgingly, Keroro and Tamama went on to prepare the snacks, Tamama being extra happy about it for more than just one reason. Kururu had offered to set up the DVD; as they were preparing to watch the movie, Koyuki and Dororo dropped in as well.</p><p>"Good evening, Giroro-kun."</p><p>"Ah, Dororo. Glad to see you're here too."</p><p>"Hello, Giroro!" Koyuki greeted energetically, instantly running off to give her school colleague a hug. Giroro suppressed his jealousy, knowing it was silly of him. Koyuki had never given him any reason to act hostile to her; well, aside from actualyl caring for Natsumi a lot, a crime of which he was guilty the most.</p><p>"Giroro-kun, are you alright? You look kind of nervous."</p><p>"Ah, I'm fine Dororo. Don't worry about it." To be honest, Giroro <em>was</em> a little nervous. While chances were they'd all simply watch a movie together, he couldn't' stop thinking about Natsumi and her behavior lately. She'd almost been too friendly. If he didn't know her as well as he did now, he's have thought she was up to no good. Too much time in the army does it to you.</p><p>"OK guys, we're all set!" Fuyuki announced. In less than a minute, five Keronians and three humans assembled themselves in front of the TV, either on the couch or on the floor, or even the coffee table, surrounded by an unhealthy amount of snacks and drinks. Giroro shyly sat next to Natsumi's legs on the floor, thinking he could at least be close to her this way and being a bit too self conscious at the moment to sit on the couch right next to her.</p><p>Dororo, however, fixed that situation pretty quickly for him.</p><p>"Giroro, what are you doing down there? Come sit next to us."</p><p>There was a free spot between Natsumi and Dororo, with Koyuki sitting by her blue friend's side and looking almost knowingly at Giroro – even before Giroro could try to interpret it as intentional, Koyuki gave him a knowing wink. Giroro blushed and, without a word, sat next to Dororo. He didn't know the word of his crush has spread all the way to the Pekoponian ninja but was glad to see she was seemingly giving it her support.</p><p>"I'm popping in the DVD~" Kururu announced.</p><p>"What is it that we're watching again?" Natsumi asked, nearly making Fuyuki flip over.</p><p>"Sis, it's Alien, A-li-en! It is the first part of a very famous movie series by James Cameron, Ridley Scott and it is—"</p><p>"Don't spoil it all now, Fuyuki-dono! I wanna see it by myself!"</p><p>"Could it be that none of you have seen this movie before?!" Fuyuki was practicalyl heartbroken.</p><p>"Give it a rest Fuyuki, that's why we're watching it now." Natsumi finally interrupted.</p><p>"Well, alright – just be warned, some of you might find it a bit scary."</p><p>"S-scary?" Tamama immediately used this as an excuse to hold on to Keroro.</p><p>The atmosphere itself in the movie was rather tense, and soon, there were no more laughs nor voices filled the room; everybody was intently watching the screen, fully concentrated on the plot. Only Kururu seemed to be enjoying it in an entirely different way, letting out a delightful giggle every once in a while.</p><p>Giroro kept his eyes peeled to the screen – the plot seemed rather interesting and though he usually wasn't much into watching movies, this one was definitely to his liking. There would be fights, weapons and somewhere in there must've been a badass alien. It was strange how, despite trying to invade Pekopon all the time, he automatically took their side.</p><p>Once an alien came bursting out of a man's stomach though, he didn't find it strange at all. In unison, Tamama and Keroro screamed as loud as possible, making the movie impossible to hear for a moment and held onto each other for dear life; it wasn't the scene as much as their desperate screams that made everyone else jerk or yell out, all of them having already been quite unnerved by the face-hugger creature.</p><p>It was Natsumi's reaction, of course, that caught Giroro much more unprepared than any scary creature encountered so far in the movie or any screams produced by anyone. She had quite literally grabbed him, as if he were a pillow, and pressed him to her chest. Trying to fight against fainting from both delight and the lack of air, Giroro barely spoke:</p><p>"N-Natsumi—what—"</p><p>"It's scary!" Natsumi justified immediately. Her voice was slightly panicked from the recent scare. "Please, just bear with me for a little while!" She weakened her embrace, though, allowing him to sit in her lap comfortably, but still held on to him firmly. Giroro all but forgot about the movie, not seeing or hearing anything, not feeling anything but Natsumi's arms wrapped around him. Everything around him went completely blank for the next several minutes, and if it were not for another jerk Natsumi gave at some scene, he'd spend the rest of the movie in that comatose state.</p><p>Readjusting himself in her lap, Giroro tried again to concentrate on the movie but realized he… he simply couldn't. He couldn't do it. He was as tense as a bowstring, sweating a bit too much for good taste, and knew he'd soon start trembling from sheer nervousness, which Natsumi was definitely going to notice. And that was the last thing he wanted; she'd think he's sick, or scared or <em>weak</em>. He frowned as that word echoed in his head and desperately wondered what he was supposed to do.</p><p>"…<em>Even if it's silly little thing like this; it's where the charm of it lies."</em></p><p>Natsumi's words started echo in his head. Small things. Charm in the small things.</p><p>
  <em>"Well, since you frogs apparently DO plan on having an actual vacation, you might as well relax, no?"</em>
</p><p>Relax. That's what he needed to do, what he wanted to do, but how? What was the secret to relaxing? Giroro thought and thought, and only after he's been thinking about it for way too many minutes did he realize that was exactly what the problem is.</p><p>
  <em>Why am I thinking everything through so much when I'm with you, Natsumi? Well, of course, I know. It is your fault, Natsumi, the stupid way you've made me adore you. My thoughts are messed up when you with me, like this. Why are we even like this? Whatever made you want to hold me? It's how you hold someone much closer to you, isn't it? I certainly can't relax with you embracing me. Now I'm again thinking too much! What should I do?!</em>
</p><p>Then again, Giroro reasoned… it <em>was</em> comfortable. It <em>was</em> nice. If he could just stop thinking about it… and suddenly Giroro decided to simply enjoy what has been given to him at that moment. He tried not to think about the fact Natsumi was hugging him, but simply enjoy that hug. He didn't think about how close they were at the moment, but rather enjoyed the sensation of her warm body against his. And in the end, he didn't think about what was going through her head, for he'd have plenty of time to do so later if he really had to, and it was pointless to do so now, anyway.</p><p>In that moment, Giroro felt truly happy like he didn't in quite some time.</p><p>The rest of the movie passed rather comfortably. Natsumi simply refused to let go of him, even though she remained fairly calm for the rest of the movie. And while Giroro still occasionally slipped into a different state of mind, again starting to think a bit too much, again becoming nervous, again wondering why would she hold him this way anyway… he had started learning to adjust. It wasn't as easy for a lover stricken romantic such as him, but he had to admit the interesting plot of the movie helped as he had something else to concentrate on – usually, it was just him, suddenly holding hands with her. Suddenly being embraced, suddenly having the privilege of Natsumi's hands touching him. All he wanted was enjoy her company the way normal person could.</p><p>He'd always adore her touch.</p><p>Her touch would make him nervous until the last one he'd be given.</p><p>Her hugs would always be his favorite thing in the world.</p><p>He would never stop hoping for something more than just friendship, as futile and silly as he knew it was.</p><p>But he couldn't keep getting nervous from as much as her appearing in the same room he was in.</p><p>Giroro had at that moment realized he had yet to learn to be her <em>friend</em>.</p><p>And with that realization on his mind, Giroro, with challenge in his eyes, stared the movie down with concentration all the way to its end.</p><hr/><p>"That was surprisingly good, Fuyuki." Natsumi admitted once the credits rolled. "I mean, you told me the movie is pretty old. I was expecting silly looking dolls and old fashioned actors."</p><p>"Well, it's not THAT much behind. I'm glad you liked it, though! It is one of my favorite series. I'm not sure what mum would say about it, come to think of it..."</p><p>"I found it highly artistic and filled to brim with subliminal." Kururu unexpectedly said and, often as it was, nobody really understood his taste.</p><p>"That was way too scary, Fuyuki-dono! Why would you pack something like this into a description of a sci-fi classic? It was terrifying! I'll have to buy some extra Gunpla to try and evade nightmares!"</p><p>"That's because it IS a sci-fi classic, Serg…"</p><p>The rest of the evening was spent in the pleasant chit chat and finishing the snacks, until the clock stroke 11 pm. It was already quite late and Tamama realized he had yet to go home. Koyuki and Dororo offered to walk him home, greeted everyone and they left soon after; the rest of the Platoon slowly retreated to their quarters and Fuyuki returned to his room, still ecstatic about how much everybody liked the movie, already thinking what should they be watching next.</p><p>Giroro and Natsumi remained alone in the room, munching on some of the remaining chips.</p><p>"That was quite good, don't you think Giroro?"</p><p>"Y-yeah…"</p><p>"I was surprised to see how interesting those silly sci-fi movies can get. And for such an oldie, they really made the alien look superb. I might as well check out the sequel-"</p><p>"Natsumi!"</p><p>"Mm? What is it, Giroro?"</p><p>"Umm… nothing, sorry. You were saying?"</p><p>And so, still sitting on the knee of probably-but-hopefully-not-oblivious Natsumi, Giroro kept listening to her opinion of the movie; despite promising himself he'd act more relaxed and loosen up around her and despite knowing he shouldn't for his own good, he once more helplessly allowed himself to get lost in the wonderful sensation her vicinity gave him, absorbing every singly movement of her hands, every twinkle in her eyes and every swish of her hair with concentration much better than the one he gave to the movie.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Can I Help You?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>It had been two days since the movie gathering in the Hinata household. For a certain Corporal, these two days were filled with passive, calm bliss brought on by the recent and quite unexpected friendly interaction with Hinata Natsumi and the alien couldn't help but daydream a bit more than usually about the red headed human. He was, however, still determined in his intention to become proper friends with her – something that could hardly be achieved if he was going to be flustered around her all the time. As such, he took extra care to stop speaking in stutters whenever she so much as said '<em>good morning'</em>. And for a short while, he believed he was doing pretty well. Just now, Natsumi had asked him if he wanted some tea. The two had a nice short conversation and Giroro found himself not stuttering once. Silly as it was, for him, it was quite an accomplishment. In some time, he figured, he might even make more of an actual, proper progress.</p>
      <p>But determined as he was in his intentions, his hot headed, romanticized, passionately in-love heart and mind couldn't simply sit tight and watch calmly as Mutsumi Saburo walked over the house door step, flustered Natsumi inviting him in.</p>
      <p>"I'm glad you could make it, Saburo-senpai!" He heard her say, a newly discovered pitch height in her voice. His fingers clutches around the teacup he was still gripping. Were it not for the little self control he had left, it would likely break underneath his fingers.</p>
      <p>"Think nothing of it, Natsumi-san. If anything, I'm glad I have company to work on the summer homework with." He chuckled and gave her a friendly smile.</p>
      <p>Despite not saying anything remotely funny, Natsumi let out a short, nervous laugh, accompanied with a high pitch of her voice that sounded anything but natural. Saburo, though, didn't seem to be either annoyed or attracted by her behavior – he always carried that simple, cool smile of his, that nice, decent, slimy, horrible bast—</p>
      <p>Giroro shook his head violently; he was making way too big of a deal out of this and he didn't find himself being capable of controlling it. He stared at the bottom of his teacup, trying to concentrate on counting the few tea leaves on the bottom of it that somehow escaped the teabag.</p>
      <p>"W-would you like some tea, Saburo-san?"</p>
      <p>"That would be great, thank you."</p>
      <p>The cup cracked in Giroro's fingers and he hastily put it down on the coffee table.</p>
      <p>Saburo gave Giroro a short '<em>yo'</em> as he noticed him, which Giroro returned with a short nod, successfully suppressing the urge to launch at the boy and kick him out of the house. Instead, he calmly went into the kitchen, put the cup into the sink then intended to head back into his tent. That's what friends do, right? Give some space to each other, right? Let her give Saburo his cup and calmly watch as his hand accidentally touches hers—</p>
      <p>Giroro raged on the inside and without further ado, sat down on the couch, joining Fuyuki and Keroro in watching some show he had no intention on following; but Hell if he was going to retreat to his tent and let Saburo do what he will. Natsumi and Saburo came soon after him, carrying their tea and preparing to study, setting down some textbooks and papers on the coffee table.</p>
      <p>"Fuyuki, would you mind turning the volume down a bit? We're about to study."</p>
      <p>"No prob." Fuyuki lazily said, despite Keroro's protests; he didn't seem quite so into the show as much as he was thinking about what he's likely seen on TV. Keroro slumped back on the couch, dissatisfied.</p>
      <p>Giroro warily observed the two out of the corner of his eye, not entirely sure what he was up to or what was he watching out for. All he knew was that he couldn't stand the thought of them together like that.</p>
      <p>Minutes passed as the two started working on some math problems. Saburo seemed entirely immersed into explaining Natsumi some of the more difficult tasks, while Natsumi's attention seemed to be divided – at times, she seemed fully concentrated on the tasks, yet every once in a while, she'd look at Saburo with a mix of admiration and something else, something sparkly in her eyes, smiling a sweet smile of hers. Despite the fact he absolutely hated the situation, it consoled Giroro, in a strange way, that she hadn't graced Saburo with one of <em>those </em>smiles. <em>Those </em>smiles, that had somehow ended up being given to him, of all people, Giroro selfishly wanted to keep for himself, even though he had no idea what was it that made them so different than the rest of her blissful expressions.</p>
      <p>Another one of Natsumi's laughs filled out the room and Giroro almost panicked out of sheer ignorance of what prompted her to laugh. If he already HAD to follow Natsumi around like this, he might as well use it as an opportunity to contain his emotions. Following her around didn't feel nice in the first place.</p>
      <p><em>Baby steps</em>, Giroro consoled himself and paid his attention to the television again – Keroro started changing channels at random and had left it at some movie. It was, luckily for Giroro, an action flick that contained enough weapons to keep Giroro occupied.</p>
      <p>Some time later, he had named at least eight different weapons and counted at least twelve ways in which each of the props in the movie weren't faithful to the original, annoying Keroro out of his mind with his non-indulgent approach to the movie, when he heard Saburo saying:</p>
      <p>"Well Natsumi, I think you got the math down. Should we start with the essays now? They could take a while so we should at least come up with our drafts for today."</p>
      <p>"Mm-hm, sounds good!" Natsumi put her math notes away and propped a big, fat book on the coffee table, huffing as she did. The book was at least thrice as big as an average book. "Man, there's just way too much of material." She complained. "I hope I don't completely screw this essay up. Eikichi-sensei wasn't exactly pleased with the last one."</p>
      <p>"Oh? What was it he disliked?" Saburo inquired. His honest interest made Natsumi's cheeks redden and Giroro's fists clench.</p>
      <p>"W-well, he said my take on the '<em>significant battles of First World War' </em>is too generic. In all honesty, I don't know what he expected of us. I wasn't there; I don't know exactly what happened." Natsumi bit her cheek in mild annoyance. Saburo laughed.</p>
      <p>"I got the similar treatment the first time I was writing essays for him; he's very strict. He usually doesn't like students directly taking information from the book, but has them discuss what they read."</p>
      <p>"That may be so, but still…" Natsumi looked a bit down, and if it weren't for Saburo's instant intervention to raise her spirits, Giroro swore he would be there to do so instead.</p>
      <p>"Don't lose hope, Natsumi-san! I'm sure you'll manage." Saburo encouraged. Natsumi, redness still lingering in her cheeks, nodded. "Mm!"</p>
      <p>They both got to extracting the key information from the huge book. About twenty minutes passed before they finished and they got to writing down essay ideas and thoughts. In the following moments, Saburo had started writing his essay fairly quickly, not seeming to have any trouble putting his thoughts on paper, while Natsumi seemed to be struggling, constantly erasing anything she'd write down. Giroro eyed her worriedly; there was a familiar, small frown between her brown eyes, the same one she'd give Keroro when he was up to something annoying.</p>
      <p>"Ah… can't… so <em>bothersome</em>… "Giroro heard her mumbling quietly to herself as she yet again erased the words she wrote down; having done so dozens of times by now, the paper couldn't take it anymore and it ripped with a loud sound, loud enough for every head in the room to look at her.</p>
      <p>"Natsumi-dono, why are you ripping your homework?" Keroro asked in a moment of innocent ignorance. Natsumi blushed; her eyes were glued to Giroro's for a moment that was as short as her temper, and she quickly crumpled the ripped paper, putting it aside.</p>
      <p>"Are you OK, Natsumi?" Saburo asked – he looked confused. Natsumi panicked as she tried to give him the best of her nervous smiles.</p>
      <p>"I-I'm fine! I just got a very good idea, and I got so excited that I accidentally ripped the paper! Ha-ha!"</p>
      <p>"Oh, haha! Well, that's good! I'm glad you're making progress." Saburo smiled sincerely and continued writing his essay, a small smile on his face. Natsumi suddenly got to writing and Giroro was happy to see she wasn't stuck after all – truth to be told, they immediately caught his interest once Natsumi spoke out the words '<em>battles'</em> and '<em>war'</em> so he couldn't help but listen to the rest of the conversation. He was however wondering why Natsumi was still carrying that semi-worried expression on her face – she'd written quite a lot in the next half an hour.</p>
      <p>It was almost evening when they were done with the homework and Saburo stuck around for another cup of tea and a short chat, much to Natsumi's joy. Giroro managed not to act upon his selfish thoughts and as such, decided with heavy heart this would be the next step into improving his relationship with Natsumi - not to distract them. Natsumi seemed happy to finally have a chance to simply talk to her crush and as much as Giroro disliked the fact that crush was Saburo, he knew it would be futile to try to prevent anything. The only thing it would do is make Natsumi angry. And if he had to choose between happy Natsumi and angry Natsumi, the choice wasn't really hard to make.</p>
      <p>"Thank you for the company and the tea, Natsumi-san."</p>
      <p>"Ah, no-no, thank <em>you</em>, Saburo-senpai - after all, it was you who helped me with everything."</p>
      <p>"Like I said, it was nothing. This was really fun! We should do it again sometime."</p>
      <p>"Definitely!" Natsumi agreed, promptly sending Giroro's heart into his stomach.</p>
      <p>The moment Saburo left, Natsumi had started acting odd. The remnants of her smile were all gone, replaced by the familiar, upset frown. She picked up her school material so fast that a few papers flew out, but she didn't seem to notice – instead she dashed, giving a quick apology to her mother for bumping into her and ran up to her room.</p>
      <p>"N-Natsumi, the papers—!" Giroro tried to yell after her, but she either didn't her him or ignored him.</p>
      <p>"Man, Natsumi-dono is acting suspicious today. I wonder what's eating her away." Keroro's voice got slightly malicious.</p>
      <p>"It must be something about Mutsumi-san," Fuyuko offered, "though I don't know what's bothering her. Everything seemed just fine between them."</p>
      <p>Giroro sighed and looked down at the papers, picking them up. He thought he might at least carry these to her, when he noticed the title on the first one paper – it was her essay.</p>
      <p>Only, it wasn't.</p>
      <p>Aside from the title and two to three introduction sentences that seemed copied out of the book, the rest of the text had apparently had nothing to do with the essay at all. It took merely a glance through it to freeze – in several places, there was Saburo's name, but what surprised him much more than that, there was also his own. He noticed it easily, clearly written, three characters representing his name. At least written once - he looked away from it before he could read anything coherent.</p>
      <p>As much as he wanted to, as he <em>needed</em> to see what was written, he figured he had no right reading something she wrote. It would be horrible of him, he knew it. Then again, she'd never have to know. What was it that she wrote about him? Why was it that his name was on the paper? What could she possibly write about him?</p>
      <p><em>Is that how a friend would act? </em>A little voice asked. It sounded much like his younger self.</p>
      <p>Giroro folded the papers in his hands. There was no way he could do it. He loved her, God knew he did and while that exact reason was why he both wanted and didn't want to read the text, he knew that he couldn't simply because it was the right thing to do.</p>
      <p>Besides, it was likely something random – Giroro had no idea why would she write anything important containing his name – but the real question was, why wasn't there a good essay written down; where was the idea she had happily claimed to have before?</p>
      <p>Deciding not to question it any further, as it really wasn't his business, he got up the stairs and walked up to Natsumi's room – because of the hot summer air, the door to it were open -and peeked in. Natsumi was sitting at her desk, staring at some papers and mumbling something for herself, clearly frustrated. Giroro was about to give a knock to her door, merely to attract her attention, when Natsumi abruptly got up, angrily yelling out "<strong>ah, enough of this already!</strong>" and gave a hard swing to whatever she held in her hand – and it happened to fly straight into Giroro's forehead.</p>
      <p>Giroro gave a comical flip accompanied with a surprised and painful yelp and rolled away until he hit the wall across Natsumi's room and slid to the floor, papers scattering around him. Damn, she had a good swing. It made his heart beat with pride. He could hear her gasp and feel the floor vibrate with her footsteps as she ran up to him.</p>
      <p>"Giroro!? I'm so sorry! Are you OK?"</p>
      <p>"I'm fine, Natsumi…" Giroro winced a bit at the still present, sharp pain between above his left eye. It didn't hit the scar, thankfully so – as Giroro touched the wound, a small wet smudge appeared on his finger. It was but a small scratch, but Natsumi stared at it in pure horror.</p>
      <p>"Ah! P-please Giroro, hold on for just one moment!" She rushed away to the bathroom and Giroro could but listen to her. He looked around and noticed it was a metal pencil sharpener that she threw at him. No wonder there was a scratch. He finished gathered up the papers just as she got back with a handkerchief. She proceeded to pull him into her own room, which he found to be one of those rare blissful moments – he didn't have time to enjoy it thoroughly though, as she suddenly sat him down and knelt.</p>
      <p>"Hold still!"</p>
      <p>"N-Natsumi, I'm fine, I can—"</p>
      <p>Of course she'd do it for him. Of course she would.</p>
      <p>Giroro was afraid he'd get used to these touches. It wasn't like Natsumi to touch him this way; it wasn't like her to hold one of his shoulders, likely in a mute attempt to tell him to hold still. He wasn't used to her face leaning in so much, merely out of sheer concentration to what she was doing, gently wiping at the scratch on his forehead. He shyly looked away before finally giving in o his preferences and peeked at her dface. While he tried to stay calm, he couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of her eyes or stop the redness that crept into his cheeks. Her face was too close.</p>
      <p>Simply too close.</p>
      <p>Natsumi sighed as she removed the handkerchief and Giroro remembered how to breathe again as her face distanced from his. Just like Giroro thought; very few red spots defiled the handkerchief and the pain had already slipped away by now. Natsumi sighed.</p>
      <p>"I'm really sorry, Giroro."</p>
      <p>Giroro got up, waving his hand. "You don't need to worry about it. I've been through tougher things." He smiled reassuringly. Natsumi tried to return the smile, but it was a rather tired attempt.</p>
      <p>"Natsumi, what's wrong?"</p>
      <p>"Ah, it's just… homework." Natsumi replied shortly – which, in turn, reminded Giroro why he got up here in the first place.</p>
      <p>"Ah, right!" He handed her the papers. "These fell out from your notes."</p>
      <p>The moment she noticed the fake essay she had written, Natsumi pulled at the papers harshly and her eyes widened as she hastily asked:</p>
      <p>"You didn't read this, did you?"</p>
      <p>Giroro paused, even more curious than before. Why in the world would she be so upset about it?</p>
      <p>"I didn't Natsumi, but…" He thought carefully about what he was going to say. There was no way he could inquire about what she had written. "I <em>have</em> noticed you didn't write about the topic. I just accidentally stole a glance of it, that's all."</p>
      <p>Natsumi relaxed upon hearing that, but then she looked embarrassed.</p>
      <p>"Natsumi, why didn't you ask Saburo to help you?" Giroro inquired once she didn't say anything. The red headed girl sighed.</p>
      <p>"Because it is embarrassing, that's why!" She finally said, frustrated. „Saburo-senpai is so smart, and everything we ever do in school in easy for him. He practically wrote out the whole essay today, and I… I just didn't want to look like a fool. So I pretended to write out one." She finished miserably.</p>
      <p>"N-Natsumi!" Upon hearing his surprised tone, Natsumi looked up at the Keronian.</p>
      <p>"What?"</p>
      <p>"How can you ever say that? You're anything but a fool, I've witnessed that many times."</p>
      <p>"I know I am <em>not</em>, I just didn't want Saburo-senpai to think so." Natsumi blushed. A familiar sting landed upon Giroro's heart, but he ignored it. "And now I have to think of a really good essay, or else he'll think I'm a total idiot."</p>
      <p>A short silence ensued. "That won't happen!" Giroro suddenly announced, getting up. "I could—" He stopped himself in time and suddenly blushed, slightly astonished at what he nearly proposed. "Nah, never mind."</p>
      <p>"Mm? What is it, Giroro? Could it be you have an idea on what might help me?!" Natsumi asked, bewildered. "Oh, please Giroro, anything will do!"</p>
      <p>Giroro seriously doubted she'd be satisfied with his reply. He hesitated.</p>
      <p>"… you'll laugh." He finally said, and that made Natsumi frown.</p>
      <p>"Will not! I could use any help I can—"</p>
      <p>"What if I told I am the one who could help you write your essay?" Giroro blurted out shyly, clenching his fists in an attempt to remain calm. Much like he thought she would, Natsumi's eyes immediately changed into that suspicious gaze she usually kept in store for Keroro. He scoffed.</p>
      <p>"See? Just as I thought."</p>
      <p>"Ah, wait, well… you must admit I have the right to be surprised!" Natsumi defended. Giroro had to hand it to her. He probably didn't seem like the sort that could help with an essay.</p>
      <p>"I guess you have a point. Still, I'm offering you my assistance, if you need any."</p>
      <p>"Well… alright, then. Let's try it." She finally agreed, though obviously reluctantly. Natsumi sat at her desk. Giroro followed, swiftly climbing onto it and making himself comfortable as he flipped the heavy book open – that book was nearly bigger than he was.</p>
      <p>"Page 394." Natsumi informed. Giroro saw the name of the familiar topic.</p>
      <p>"Second World War." Giroro mused and looked at a random point in the air, having a reminiscent-like look in his eyes. "Certainly, one of the deadliest conflicts in Pekoponian history. Four years of warring, all because ideals of a madman. Millions of dead. Bloodshed that flourished on the foundation of the horrors the First World War left behind."</p>
      <p>Natsumi gazed at Giroro, astonished by the unusually poetic words of the warrior sitting on her desk. "Wha—That was pretty… nice." She clumsily said. "How do you even know about wars on Earth?"</p>
      <p>"Hmpf." Giroro scoffed. "Ever since I've come to this planet, I've been informing myself. Invasion of Pekopon is one of our priorities – well, at least it should be," he grumbled, "and as such, it was necessary of me to learn of your tactics and strategies, strengths and weaknesses – your history has a great insight into it." He crossed his hands. "I guess that's not something you'd expect from a soldier to do, huh?"</p>
      <p>"N-not really." Natsumi admitted, quite surprised. Giroro shrugged.</p>
      <p>"You Pekoponians have a long tradition of warring over the dumbest things. It is almost like you enjoy eradicating your own species."</p>
      <p>"Humans are complicated, I'll give you that much." Natsumi sighed.</p>
      <p>"Indeed you are. Do you know why?"</p>
      <p>"Why?" Natsumi repeated. "Because… well, I think we care too much about ourselves. That is in the terms of nations, I… I guess each one is simply too proud of itself." She frowned as she tried to put her opinion out, looking for the right words. "I mean, just because we're of different nationalities and such, doesn't mean we're all not people. Plus, do you have any idea how this war influenced many generations to come? It all seems so unnecessary."</p>
      <p>"Excellent point." Giroro complimented. "Why are you not writing it down?"</p>
      <p>"What? That's not what Eikichi-sensei wants! He wants an essay to check our knowledge and—"</p>
      <p>"Well, what <em>did </em>he say he wants?</p>
      <p>"We're supposed to tackle any subject that is in some way connected to the Second World War and write about it in detail." Natsumi repeated the teacher's very words.</p>
      <p>"There you have it. You clearly have an opinion on how war affected people. It affected you and you weren't even there. Search for interviews and surviving witnesses on your computer. Write about what war left behind. About people it hurt, people it left yearning for revenge. About the misery it caused, happiness it brought once they were over and done with it and bitter taste it left for many years to come." Giroro's voice got unusually quiet and as Natsumi wrote down some notes for her essay, she had to nudge him to bring him back to reality.</p>
      <p>"Giroro. Are you alright?"</p>
      <p>"Ah." He looked her in the eyes. He almost wandered off. "It's nothing, Natsumi. Just some old memories, that's all." He gave her a hearty, sincere smile. There were many scars, that many of wars he participated in, have left on his heart; but those scars were closed up a long time ago, his heart hardened and his thoughts dedicated to the memories he'd always cherish. He didn't have a problem telling anyone about it, but sometimes, his memories would take a different turn into the darker corners of his past.</p>
      <p>Luckily, Natsumi was here for him this time. He needed nothing more. Clearing his throat, he motioned towards the paper.</p>
      <p>"So, do you think you can write about that?"</p>
      <p>"I… I guess I could. In all honesty it is the part I can write the most about just off the top of my head." Natsumi admitted. Then she sniggered. "Warring with you frogs every day has taught me plenty about it."</p>
      <p>Giroro chuckled. "I guess we're good at least for something."</p>
      <p>"Hey, Giroro."</p>
      <p>"Mm?"</p>
      <p>"Thank you for your help. You really are a great friend."</p>
      <p>And there it was. <em>That</em> smile. Completely flustered by the gorgeous sight, Giroro tried looking anywhere but at her, but that smile seemed to be the polar opposite of his eyes, as they couldn't leave her lips.</p>
      <p>"I-it's really nothing, Natsumi, I just gave you one advice."</p>
      <p>"No, I mean it." Natsumi added, only making the corporal even more embarrassed. Tracing random circles with her pencil, Natsumi proceeded to ask:</p>
      <p>"Think you could… stay here and help me some more? I'm not sure how helpful this book might be. Plus it takes a lot of time looking for the right thing."</p>
      <p>How could he ever refuse when she was gracing him with that smile of hers?</p>
      <p>"Sure Natsumi."</p>
      <p>And so, Corporal Giroro had an insight into what was it like doing homework with the girl you love. He knew for sure Mutsumi Saburo didn't enjoy it half as much as he did, because unlike with Saburo, Natsumi wasn't shyly quiet or nervous. Instead, she was chatty, friendly and relaxed.</p>
      <p>For that alone, it was worth not being on the receiving end of love.</p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Would You like to Join Us?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>"Who wants to go to the beach?!"</p>
      <p>Of course they were going to the beach, Giroro though a bit grudgingly as he sat in the overheated car, squeezing in the trunk with four of his sweaty alien friends. What would a proper summer be if they didn't head to the blasted beach?</p>
      <p>Why were all of them even going? Salty water had already proven quite unpleasant for them, and aside from splashing in the kiddies pool, which usually was overwhelmed with sun-heated, murky water, there was nothing pleasant to do.</p>
      <p>But they took a different turn on the road, and Giroro suddenly realized they were going in an entirely different, but familiar direction…</p>
      <p>"We're going to be swimming in the river this time, Searg!" Fuyuki excitedly explained once Keroro decided to question where they were going. "We know how you can't really stand saltwater; plus, now that grandma knows about you guys, it's going to make the whole 'stay undercover' thing much easier!"</p>
      <p>"Gero! That's just like Hinata-family, thinking about everything!"</p>
      <p>"Now don't get ahead of yourself, stupid frog." Natsumi warned. "Just because you can wander around, doesn't mean that's all you should do. We wouldn't want you getting caught, now would we."</p>
      <p>"Of course, of course, Natsumi-dono. Don't you worry; the entire platoon will be on their best behavior. Isn't that right guys?"</p>
      <p>The platoon agreed almost in unison, Kururu being an exception as he grunted something that vaguely resembled a very unconvincing "naturally", followed by his ominous laughter.</p>
      <p>Several hours later, their car finally pulled into the yard of a familiar traditional Japanese house and the Hinata's spend a moment celebrating their reunion – but when the Platoon came out of the car too, the oldest member of the family looked at them in a surprise.</p>
      <p>"I didn't know you little fellas were coming, as well!"</p>
      <p>An awkward silence reigned until Aki gave Natsumi a stern stare.</p>
      <p>"Natsumi, I thought you were in charge of letting grandma who was coming!"</p>
      <p>"I was and I did!" Natsumi protested before looking sideways, seeming to be at slight discomfort. "But I <em>might</em> have forgotten to mention <em>them</em>…"</p>
      <p>The reaction was instant – Tamama nearly burst into tears (that of rage, to be fair), which was swiftly followed by a small fury-fest of his own, whereas Keroro looked downright insulted to be forgotten to be included so easily. Giroro had to take it upon himself to get Dororo out of his '<em>switched'</em> mood, which brought him too to tears (only, unlike Tamama, those of sadness). For whatever reason, Kururu seemed to have found the entire thing to be hilarious.</p>
      <p>"That's so mean, sis!" Fuyuki voiced out, looking nearly thunderstruck. The over-the-top reaction was something Natsumi didn't expect in the least and she looked at the disappointed faces around her in alarm.</p>
      <p>"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! Something must've distracted me!"</p>
      <p>Kururu laughed rather gleefully at this again but didn't care to elaborate, not even as the member of the Hinata family threw a concerned glance in his direction.</p>
      <p>Hinata Akina sighed but a gentle expression spread over her elderly face.</p>
      <p>"You'll have to forgive me – it's far too late now for me to prepare an extra room for you guys. Why, I only just finished washing the extra futons for you two this morning."</p>
      <p>The Platoon seemed to have gone sulky for a moment. Dororo, who still looked particularly hurt, quietly suggested they could all sleep in the car, when Akina's eyes spread wide open.</p>
      <p>"Oh, nonsense, Dororo-chan! You can all share Fuyuki and Natsumi's room together!"</p>
      <p>The Platoon brightened up visibly – Dororo seemed touched beyond belief, much to everyone's amusement. And while Fuyuki seemed overwhelmed with joy of the idea of having his alien friends sharing a bedroom, Natsumi positively seethed, her apologetic attitude gone with the summer breeze.</p>
      <p>"But that's not fair! I won't have any peace with those stupid frogs in my room!"</p>
      <p>"Natsumi!" Aki angrily called out her daughter's name and the red-headed girl fell silent, looking guilty for a moment as her eyes met the reprimanding stare of her mother.</p>
      <p>Giroro understood; the members of the Hinata family had quite gleefully and readily accepted the Platoon in their lives but no matter how close any of them ever felt to Natsumi at some point, they would still always be a bunch of "stupid frogs" for her; as expected as that was from someone like her, he couldn't help feeling a bit hurt, and he was pretty sure at least one other member of the Platoon felt the similar way. Indeed, when he cast a glance at Dororo, there was a small frown present on his forehead. It almost seemed as if he couldn't get his head around why would Natsumi ever call them that.</p>
      <p>Natsumi had obviously picked up on the fact that not a single person around her appreciated her sentiment, because she tried to justify herself, now with a soft shade of pink in her cheeks.</p>
      <p>"I—I'm sorry, I didn't— I'm just not used to this! I want my privacy! And it'll feel so stuffy with all of us in one room!"</p>
      <p>"Surely you didn't visit me to spend time by yourself." Akina chuckled. "Besides, how much space can your friends take up? The room is big enough for all of you."</p>
      <p>In a last-resort attempt to do something about this predicament, Natsumi announced:</p>
      <p>"I'll prepare the extra room myself if I need to!"</p>
      <p>"Oh Natsumi dear, going through the trouble of doing that would take way too much of your time! Just enjoy spending some more quality time with your friends." There was the sort of finality in Akina's voice that announced the discussion is over and when she promptly invited everyone in for a cold drink. All but Natsumi happily entered the house, her still standing there in defiant silence and taking a few more moments to sulk.</p>
      <p>Giroro stopped at the door and briefly looked at her, wondering in silence and with a familiarly painful pinch in his chest just how much must she detested having them close to her.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>Natsumi didn't have to worry much about her privacy being invaded. The members of Hinata family have found quite a few things to entertain themselves with and dragged the Platoon right into the midst of their plans, all of which took the place outside, leaving her personal space empty (something she'd usually appreciate). Whether it was swimming, playing checkers or dividing themselves into teams to play volleyball, which Tamama proved to have taken way too seriously. It looked like fun and she regretted not joining in.</p>
      <p>But as a hot-headed young teen who wasn't used on not having things done her way, she simply couldn't let this small change of accommodation slide without first sulking it out thoroughly in the empty room, pretending to read a book she wasn't interested in, while in fact stuck in a vicious circle of seething thoughts about the troublesome Platoon.</p>
      <p>For the umpteenth time, her eyes glanced through the open window and took note of the spectacularly flimsy attempt of Kururu to engage into sports (something he initially refused but couldn't say no to under the sparkly gaze of Akina, who seemed to have the sort of aura around her that dreadfully strongly reminded him of Moa). It made a smile crack across her face. The ball just about barely reached the other team, which seemed to be good as no one was nearly close enough to reach the ball in time – that it, until Giroro suddenly slid right beneath it and hit it with the comical amount of force that sent it right into the branches of the nearby tree, where it got stuck.</p>
      <p>The entire situation caused a lot of laughter and teasing glances in Giroro's direction, who looked even redder than usual about it. Natsumi genuinely laughed this time and it didn't seem to have gone unheard because Giroro turned in her direction. Their eyes met and Natsumi turned her head away, trying to fix an irritated sort of frown on her face as her eyes yet again met the characters of the book she didn't read and her mind yet again stubbornly decided she wouldn't be having fun out in the sun with the rest of the company.</p>
      <p>It didn't take long, however, for her thoughts to be interrupted by a sudden thud on the door that sounded much unlike knocking. Natsumi jerked her head to the left and was surprised to see Giroro in a sort of a weird, crouched position. He stood up straight instantly and seemed a bit uncomfortable, his face still reddened from the teasing of his friends.</p>
      <p>She didn't notice it at that moment but the fact he was there without being followed by the usual group of idiots cheered her up somewhat. Alas, as she didn't notice that, her irritated side showed more than her cheerful one did; as such, she scowled at him.</p>
      <p>"What?"</p>
      <p>If Hinata Natsumi had known the guts it took for Giroro to merely come to her room, prompted by nothing and no one by himself, she would have probably received him in a bit more warmly. And even though he at the last moment changed his mind and only barged in for a visit because he tripped on the loose board and smacked into the door frame, his decision to follow her example of trying to engage someone into an activity was commendable.</p>
      <p>Giroro swallowed quietly.</p>
      <p>"I-I was just wondering, uh… if you'd like to, uhm, join us."</p>
      <p>Natsumi and Giroro stared at each other for the longest time. Well, it wasn't that long, really, but for both it felt that way. Giroro, because of the sheer amount of tension straining his body and mind. Natsumi, because she had known the alien for a while, and had seldom experienced him inviting her to do anything other than sit down and share a sweet potato.</p>
      <p>She blinked and Giroro's pessimistic mind promptly took it as a sign to get out.</p>
      <p>"N-never mind, I guess." Giroro left before Natsumi opened her mouth, and whatever she decided to say was left unspoken. She sat there and looked through the window again, the red Keronian emerging in the yard again.</p>
      <p>She had wondered for a while now just why the appearance of the Keronian comforted her at times and at that point realized she felt less bitter because of his mere appearance, because of his simple question. <em>Would you like to join us?</em></p>
      <p>There was a sound of scrapping, wood against wood, as she got up and headed into the yard. Her mother and grandmother shot her encouraging smiles as they noticed her, Fuyuki cheered up and the entirety of the Platoon suddenly tensed up, as if expecting anything but nice things coming with her.</p>
      <p>"Do you need an extra player? Tall as I am, I might be of use." Natsumi offered, smiling uncharacteristically at the Platoon.</p>
      <p>It wasn't long before she enjoyed just as much as the rest of her family and the aliens, the bitter thoughts left behind.</p>
      <p>And while she only fully realized it later, before she dozed off in the afternoon sun, lying in the grass, eating watermelon and resting from the amazing victory she brought to her team, Natsumi realized she didn't find it hard to accept. To accept the fact that the Platoon was much more than the Platoon. That the aliens were much more than aliens.</p>
      <p>That as annoying as Keroro and Tamama were, it was like having two more little brothers, if a tad bit more mischievous than good-natured Fuyuki was.</p>
      <p>That as creepy as Kururu could be, it was like having than one weird friend, who would do their best to annoy the Hell out of you for that was simply their way of having fun, spreading fun and offering fun.</p>
      <p>That as foreign as Dororo seemed at times, he seemed like a part of the beauties of life around her, in love with the Earth as if he were born here, being friends with Koyuki like that was all he was ever meant to be.</p>
      <p>That as weird Giroro could be, what with his obsession with war, his loneliness and nonexistent hobbies, they had a language in common and spoke it perfectly. The kind of language that consisted of more than words and gestures but that had them gazing at the starry night in silence or enjoying the taste of sweet potatoes by the fire. The kind of friendship that made her think.</p>
      <p>And with those thought she couldn't make anything out of yet, for she was but a young girl, confused and in the midst of what she didn't know was maturing into adulthood, she dozed off into the light dreams of summer, only to forget the thoughts of Platoon, of Giroro she had before she fell asleep… but not forgetting the feelings those same lost thoughts had caused.</p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Can't You See?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>Three days of pure joy – Giroro couldn't have put it any other way.</p>
      <p>Even Keroro, who usually couldn't care less, had come forward and asked him what the heck was going on. Giroro remained innocently confused, thinking he was yet again being reprimanded by the Seargent for some ludicrous reason he wasn't aware of.</p>
      <p>"It is not like you, Corporal Giroro."</p>
      <p>"What isn't?" By now, Corporal's confusion turned to frustration as he shot Keroro his usual look of disgust. But then, miraculously, Keroro managed to explain.</p>
      <p>"To be so… <em>relaxed</em>."</p>
      <p>The angry glance melted away and Giroro blinked.</p>
      <p>"S-so what if I am? You always tell me I need to loosen up, anyway!"</p>
      <p>"Gee, as always you misunderstand, Corporal! I'm not criticizing you. Keep up the good work!" Giving him a sincerely dazzling thumbs up, Keroro rejoined Tamama in the water, looking for tiny river moths and colorful stones.</p>
      <p>Giroro stared blankly after his boss, wondering if their short visit to the oldest member of Hinata family has really been that fruitful. Come to think of it, it must be one of the reasons why he enjoyed himself so much, for a change.</p>
      <p>The days spend at the home of Hinata Aki had been eventful and fun; incredibly, they even managed to knock the thoughts of the still-not-undergoing invasion out of the Corporal's head. Well, perhaps not so incredibly. Giroro could hardly remember the better time he had spent on Earth, not including some of the cherished moments he had spent with a certain red-headed Pekoponian. It just so happened to be that that same redhead had been responsible for Giroro's inexplicable display of relaxed attitude.</p>
      <p>Things were good.</p>
      <p>In hindsight, he should have known it was all too good to last.</p>
      <p>"Giroro-kun, where in the world are we?"</p>
      <p>If anyone else had asked him that at the point where they were completely and absolutely lost, Giroro would have snapped at them. Dororo, however, was a different story. If anything, the slight concerned yet calm tone of his voice only made it easier to keep it together.</p>
      <p>"I'm afraid I don't know either, Dororo."</p>
      <p>The Keronian warrior sat in the grass beneath a tree, letting out an exasperated breath of air as he did. He was tired, he was hungry and he had long since lost his sense of direction in these forsaken woods. "At this point, all we can do is get some rest."</p>
      <p>Dororo was quiet for a moment before sitting down as well.</p>
      <p>"My apologies, Giroro-kun. This is all my fault."</p>
      <p>Giroro shook his head but said nothing. If he were to be fair, both of them had to do with getting hopelessly lost in the mountain woods for acting like kids.</p>
      <p>Giroro looked up – the moon was weakly shining through the thick bunch of clouds and the stars were few in the few patches of the sky that were visible. There was no way they could make their way anywhere in this dark. Not like they hadn't tried. Their equipment, too, remained back at the house of Hinata Akina, as it was one of the rules before they went racing through the forest – no Kururu's inventions nor basic gear to help themselves with. Just their legs and arms and running through the vast woods, something they hadn't done in ages; since the time they were kids, really.</p>
      <p>When Dororo suggested it, Giroro was sure he was kidding; for one, because Dororo was clearly the faster one. But when he suggested he wouldn't be jumping from a tree to tree and instead keep to the ground, Giroro's curiosity and long-since-forgotten playfulness was piqued – he'd seldom since Dororo run on foot anymore.</p>
      <p>Besides, it's been a while since he spend some quality time with one of the few friendly faces he knew.</p>
      <p>The playful race, however, didn't end up the way they planned. Neither of them knew just where nor when was it that they lost track of time and direction but once they finally stopped and decided Dororo was still somewhat quicker on his feet, they realized they had no idea what way back to take. Dororo had climbed the highest tree he could locate, only to seen nothing but vast woods around himself and – in the distance, an unexpected fog all around them.</p>
      <p>Giroro cursed himself for not realizing the conditions of weather sooner – as Dororo had reminded him, he was having too much fun to notice such a thing but it didn't console Giroro at all. He wasn't supposed to relax, to begin with.</p>
      <p>So there they were, sitting beneath a tree with but weak moonlight to allow them to make out each other's face.</p>
      <p>"For what it's worth," Giroro opted for a more lighthearted response as he cracked a smile, "it was fun."</p>
      <p>In the dark, he could just see a smile forming beneath the mask and just like that, Dororo looked at ease.</p>
      <p>For a little while, both were quiet, getting used to their predicament and getting comfortable in the grass, seeing as how they had no other option but to spend the night somewhere. The air was humid and for the two frog-like aliens it was a nice, pleasant sort of air. They both found themselves leaning against the bark of an old, old maple, the rough surface softened by the fog and the grass around it soft as if they were the first living beings to approach the tree.</p>
      <p>The Keronian warrior suddenly heard his own stomach growl and promptly blushed when Dororo reacted to it with his soft laughter.</p>
      <p>"I'm sorry, Giroro-kun! It just really seemed like a weird timing for something like that to be heard!"</p>
      <p>Dororo kept snickering helplessly and Giroro rolled his eyes, not minding Dororo's amusement but all the same feeling embarrassed.</p>
      <p>"S-sorry, I couldn't help it. I don't think I've had anything else to eat since morning."</p>
      <p>"Mmm, me neither. We really are a bunch of boneheads."</p>
      <p>This time it was Giroro who laughed, perhaps not as softly, but his ninja friend couldn't seem to understand why as he shot him a questionable gaze.</p>
      <p>"It is rare that I hear an ungraceful word such as 'bonehead' coming from you."</p>
      <p>"Ungraceful?"</p>
      <p>"Yeah." Giroro paused as he tried to form his thought into speech. "You have a more sophisticated way with words."</p>
      <p>"A-ah."</p>
      <p>Giroro saw the familiar sort of look in Dororo's eyes that he nearly forgot and that felt incredibly nostalgic; the blue Keronian was embarrassed. Patting his ninja friend on the shoulder, Giroro let out a chuckle as he leaned against the tree, followed by a tired sigh.</p>
      <p>Silence stretched on as the two sank into their thoughts. It was hard to tell the time but neither of them felt particularly sleepy, not even with the comfortably humid air or scent of grass or the sight of thick darkness speckled with lights…</p>
      <p>Lights?</p>
      <p>Giroro's attention snapped back into reality as he realized he could see again and that it was the fireflies who visited them. They glowed strongly, vibrantly, different than anything Giroro had seen or at least so it appeared to the Keronian lost in the vast dark woods of the enemy territory.</p>
      <p>Peculiarly enough, the insects seemed to be quite comfortable with Dororo, one of them snugly landing on his palm, whereas Giroro was only to observe the tiny, spectacular forms of life. The sight, for some reason he couldn't place, made his heart clench achingly.</p>
      <p>"How do you do that?"</p>
      <p>"Do what?"</p>
      <p>Giroro replied with silence even as Dororo looked at him, a firefly perched upon his finger, innocently questioning look in his eyes. It took Dororo a few moments more to catch onto the fact Giroro was curiously gazing at the tiny bugs of light.</p>
      <p>"Ah, you mean this." Dororo whispered. "It's nothing I do. It simply happens."</p>
      <p>"Mm." Giroro nodded, as if understanding. He didn't. Dororo's eyes smiled.</p>
      <p>"I assume they can sense I mean them no harm."</p>
      <p>It sounded convenient to Giroro, to be able to sense something like that in another person. He thought how well it would be if everyone could simply sense each other's feelings about everything. Then all the knowledge about everyone would be out, and no one would be embarrassed about anything and—</p>
      <p>"That must be very convenient."</p>
      <p>The train of thought was going down Natusmi's road and his pathetically covered up feelings and Giroro tried to shake it out by pinching himself on the hem of his ear flaps. Such a display of frustration did not go unnoticed by Dororo.</p>
      <p>"Is everything alright, Giroro-kun?"</p>
      <p>"<strong>Yes</strong>." The word left his lips so quickly even Giroro mentally chastised himself for not being able to form a more convincing reply. And Dororo, darn the ninja… at least when it came to Giroro, Dororo was like a mind reader and in that moment, both Keronians knew exactly what the problem was.</p>
      <p>"… you know, Giroro-kun—"</p>
      <p>"Stop right there." The warrior asked with more force than intended and added: "Please."</p>
      <p>Dororo knew and he knew so well. He knew it though the two never spoke a word about it, about <em>her</em>. He knew the depths it reached in Giroro's heart though nobody else could even begin to tell. <em>How</em>, Giroro didn't know to this day.</p>
      <p>But Dororo could always tell, with things like these. Dororo was always there to observe and see and conclude. If only he also had an answer.</p>
      <p>The ninja nodded, closed his eyes and sat in peace, not uttering another word and letting his friend mentally prepare for whatever was going on in the mess of his mind.</p>
      <p>Giroro couldn't tell how much time had passed before he managed to tear his eyes away from the fireflies in the grass, before the relaxation of the last three days gave place to so, so many thoughts he had been neatly putting away, carefully neglecting, carefully concealing.</p>
      <p>"Dororo."</p>
      <p>The two bright blue eyes opened and looked into the serious, sorrowful grays.</p>
      <p>"Dororo, I love her."</p>
      <p>There were tears in the broken stare of the strong-willed Keronian and they started spilling down his cheeks slowly. "I love her so much, Dororo and I can't—," Teeth gritted in an attempt to hold back everything Giroro ever wanted to say but it was in vain; the words suddenly started pouring out along with the numerous tears he once promised himself would never show, never share, never reveal and he started rambling and crying and asking questions to which he knew he would never get an answer and by the time he was reduced into a crying heap in Dororo's arms, Giroro could only remember the snippets of his tearful confession.</p>
      <p>
        <em>I just wanted to be friends, so—</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>Why is it so hard?</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>Why does it hurt so much?</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>I wanted to learn to be her friend but—</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>All I do is get buried deeper and deeper—</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>It is unacceptable.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>Is it unacceptable?</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>To whom?</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>What would everybody say?</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>Is it weird? Is it disgusting?</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>It feels so right and so fulfilling.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>Can I love her, please? Tell me it can't be wrong.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>I love her.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>I love her too much…</em>
      </p>
      <p>Giroro couldn't tell at which point did the arms of his friend end up around his shoulders but he welcomed the warm contact. He welcomed baring himself to someone for once. For once, he had a wound he was willing and aching to show and it felt fantastic and horrible at the same time, because it hurt worse than the biggest bullet and yet it felt more relaxing than any of the time he spent with Natsumi during the last three days.</p>
      <p>"Giroro-kun…" Dororo sounded off as if from afar but he was there, still there, he was still close and Giroro inched away from him, still embarrassed, still weirded out by his own tears and behavior. One of his hands reached up to wipe at his wet cheek.</p>
      <p>"Forgive me, Dororo—" He began as formally as he possibly could, still choking up as he did but Dororo grasped his hands.</p>
      <p>"Giroro, can't you see? You did great."</p>
      <p>"Huh?" The red warrior blinked in confusion and saw a sad smile in Dororo's eyes.</p>
      <p>"It's what you needed to do, Giroro. You did great." The ninja repeated, put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm very proud of you, soldier."</p>
      <p>Blinking again, Giroro found himself even more embarrassed by this unusual praise but incredibly flustered when he realized he actually liked hearing it.</p>
      <p>… Perhaps a conversation with a friend really was something he craved more than he knew. Perhaps hearing words of acceptance was more necessary to him than he thought.</p>
      <p>"… T-thank you, Dororo."</p>
      <p>"Whenever you need me, my friend."</p>
      <p>Stare fixed in the grass, Giroro shook his head in shame.</p>
      <p>"Keh. I never would have thought I'd be reduced to this."</p>
      <p>"It is no reduction, Giroro-kun. You did something many would be terrified to do."</p>
      <p>Giroro looked up again. "You think?"</p>
      <p>Dororo shifted in place and looked up and away. "I know."</p>
      <p>Giroro didn't ask.</p>
      <p>The two spent the night sleeping under the foggy sky and invisible stars, nested in the roots of the tree, one of them a little more at peace than before.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>The two felt exceptionally silly when they found their way back with ease in the morning.</p>
      <p>By the time sun came up, the fog cleared out and the view of distanced mountains gave the Keronians back their sense of direction. Returning was so easy that Giroro felt downright ashamed he couldn't have had that same path figured out the night before.</p>
      <p>When the two showed up on the doorstep of the house, Giroro wasn't surprised that nobody cared much. The Platoon seemed to have made a lucky guess that the two weren't in any sort of big trouble and didn't attempt to even locate them. The Hinatas didn't even seem to know the two were gone all night.</p>
      <p>Akina seemed to have taken the news of their disappearance most to heart and it somewhat annoyed both Keronians that the Platoon didn't care about their whereabouts enough to inform the rest of the household. Still, with Keroro, Giroro figured he should've known.</p>
      <p>Once the two were served double portions of the most delicious breakfast they ever tasted, Dororo retreated to his bed but Giroro went outside and sat on the porch wide awake, his thoughts still troubling him, the events of the last night replaying in his head.</p>
      <p>He felt embarrassed, somewhat humiliated. A bit silly, truth to be told.</p>
      <p>… As well as elated. At peace.</p>
      <p>It was good to have a friend at his side, to listen and to care.</p>
      <p>As he cast a sideways glance to Natsumi, who skipped past him and out into a field of green grass, he wondered if he'd ever be able to do the same for her.</p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. What are You doing?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>July was hot and seething and Giroro was pretty sure he was dying. Continuously, for a week, probably. He could not recall when was the last time he had touched any of his weaponry for cleaning, nor when was the last time he ate a sweet potato by the fire. Then again, he honestly couldn't recall much of anything at that moment.</p>
      <p>The days were hot, boring, long and utterly useless and again, repeating that to himself just to be sure, Giroro was pretty sure he was dying.</p>
      <p>Or at the very least, so he thought for one entire morning of the unbelievable heat before something bright shone over his closed eyelids and he forced his eyes to peek open. There, he recognized a Keronian shape of his ninja friend on the entrance to his tent but the shape did little to the mind hazy from the heat.</p>
      <p>"Giroro-kun, what in the world are you doing?! You're just about ready to be cooked inside of this infernal tent!"</p>
      <p>"Ah, Lance Corporal, you came just in time! We have received intelligence of vital importance…" Giroro spoke formally - for all he knew - as he praised Dororo for having appeared on the time for whatever vision of a mission was going through the corporal's head, though none of that reached Dororo, for all of it came out in the form of utter gibberish. Had Dororo not instantly recognized the signs of a serious case of dehydration, he would have surely laughed at the way the entire thing looked and sounded. The ninja, however, was luckily a bit more on the sensitive side, so he swiftly grasped one of the warrior's arms around his shoulder and half-dragged half-walked him into the pleasantly cool air of the Hinata living room.</p>
      <p>"Seriously, Giroro-kun, what has gone into you?" Dororo questioned aloud, though more to himself rather than the deluded red Keronian who was at that moment preoccupied with asking a lamp for the directions to his briefing point.</p>
      <p>The ninja let out a tired sigh before quickly skipping to and back from the fridge and just as swiftly pouring an entire bottle of ice cold water over the Corporal's head.</p>
      <p>The warrior froze in place for a moment before looking around uncertainly. He gave a couple blinks then slowly sank back into the couch, saying nothing but looking thoroughly confused and worn out. Dororo pressed another bottle of water into his hands, which the red Keronian hesitantly took into his hands before taking a sip. The moment the cool water touched his tongue, Giroro regained enough of his senses to realize one thing – he's been really thirsty, and he's been really thirsty for a while.</p>
      <p>He practically poured the water down his throat and shakily gasped out a word of gratitude to the ninja, who simply shook his head.</p>
      <p>"I appreciate your gratitude, Giroro-kun but in all honesty, I would appreciate an explanation much more. This type of behavior is very unlike the warrior I know."</p>
      <p>Giroro opened his mouth only to realize there was no answer he could come up with. Dororo sat next to him, crossed his arms and casually started:</p>
      <p>"It is about Natsumi-dono, is it not?"</p>
      <p>Nearly flipping out about her name being spoken aloud like that, Giroro automatically slapped a hand over the surprised ninja's mouth, though he was speaking softly to begin with and there was no one around.</p>
      <p>"Don't say it so loudly!"</p>
      <p>"It is no use, Giroro-kun. I mean, there is indeed no one around but-"</p>
      <p>"But what?"</p>
      <p>Diroro gave him a shifty glance.</p>
      <p>"You know Kururu as well as I do. His motivations are… unfortunate."</p>
      <p>Giroro had to admit defeat this time. He was pretty sure that not only the entire house but the entire <em>street</em> was closely followed and monitored by Kururu's many cameras and droids. It was no secret that the technicians favorite pre-bedtime activity was checking out events that took place that day and deciding whether he should mess with any of it.</p>
      <p>Sighing, the warrior slumped back into the couch.</p>
      <p>"Of course it's her!" He snapped, angered by just about everything. About Natsumi, about Kururu, the fact he spent two days moping around long enough to nearly die- It was irrational beyond belief! It changed him in the ways he didn't like. "What else would it be?" He grumbled. "That darn woman..."</p>
      <p>"Giroro-kun, have you ever considered talking to her?"</p>
      <p>Giroro laughed. If by 'talking' Dororo meant clumsily confessing to her, the answer was a definite... yes. It was in fact surprising just how many times he considered getting the fact properly out in the open, in favor of making things less complicated. Giroro turned the possibility over and over in his head but never found the correct approach he could use without eternally scaring the Pekoponian away.</p>
      <p>Though that was the lesser problem.</p>
      <p>The much bigger and obvious one was that—</p>
      <p>"I could never do such a thing."</p>
      <p>"I didn't mean you just outright tell her everything." Dororo replied and Giroro deadpanned at him.</p>
      <p>"Then what on Earth could I possibly talk to her about that would help me?"</p>
      <p>Dororo blinked and looked away, looking uneasy.</p>
      <p>"I don't know if you remember, Giroro-kun but three days back, on the residence of Aki-"</p>
      <p>"<em>Yes</em>." Giroro interrupted, not wanting Dororo to directly refer to what had taken place in those bloody woods three days ago. The blue Keronian paused.</p>
      <p>"You told me Natsumi-dono was acting… differently."</p>
      <p>There was a silent pause.</p>
      <p>"What of it?"</p>
      <p>Dororo sighed, by now tired of his friend's inability to understand.</p>
      <p>"Ask her about it."</p>
      <p>Giroro gave his friend probably the most confused and flustered stare he ever managed to produce. Combined with sudden inability to speak and the face that grew even redder than his natural tan, it told Dororo that the warrior clearly didn't consider it a possibility.</p>
      <p>"You have to stop putting yourself down like that, Giroro. Natusmi-dono is a person just as much as you are. Whatever she's doing, she's doing for a reason. All you need to do is ask about it."</p>
      <p>There was a sigh and Giroro slumped down on the couch.</p>
      <p>"You make it sounds so easy, Dororo."</p>
      <p>"You make it sound as if there was nothing harder."</p>
      <p>"Keh."</p>
      <p>For a moment, a question passed through Giroro's mind, wondering if Dororo had ever felt anything akin to this inner torture he was going through.</p>
      <p>He debated with himself for a moment then finally looked at his friend.</p>
      <p>"Dororo, have you ever had something like this happen to you?"</p>
      <p>He formed the question carefully, formally, not wanting to speak so bluntly about… <em>feelings</em>. Not wanting to make it sound weird or too cheesy. If anything, he wanted it to sound as a simple exchange of information.</p>
      <p>Yet even so, Dororo, much to the warrior's surprise, couldn't suppress a sudden blush that overwhelmed his face. The flushed cheeks and sudden stutter in his voice, however, painted a new – even amusing, Giroro figured – picture of Dororo that he wasn't familiar with. He took Dororo for a calm, collected individual that wasn't much bothered by romance or, at least, handled it with more dignity.</p>
      <p>But no. Here he was, suddenly unable to look the warrior in the eyes properly.</p>
      <p>"A-ah, well, I can't say I have not but- but I decided to not act on it."</p>
      <p>"What?! Hypocritical, aren't we, Dororo!" Giroro gasped out, slightly shocked but the ninja shook his head.</p>
      <p>"No no, it is- it is different!"</p>
      <p>"Of course it is."</p>
      <p>"I'm serious!" Dororo actually <em>huffed, </em>Giroro noticed and nearly laughed. "It could- if I were to act on it, it could seriously endanger the platoon's state."</p>
      <p>Giroro was quiet for a couple of rather horrifying moments during which he mentally checked out the member of platoon – their obnoxious sergeant, the not exactly stable soldier, the ever-ominous technician and himself who was about just as normal as all of them put together.</p>
      <p>It couldn't be-</p>
      <p>"You don't mean <em>to tell me</em>-"</p>
      <p>"<strong>Of course not</strong>!" Dororo flailed his arms, immediately realizing the implications Giroro was getting at. "I mean... Giroro-kun, as much as I like and respect the members of our platoon, I think you'll find it easy to realize why I wouldn't be… especially inclined towards any of them." He paused. "That being said, no offense."</p>
      <p>"N-none taken!" The warrior snapped and the two suddenly fell into an awkward silence.</p>
      <p>It was rather clear that the discussion was over.</p>
      <p>"W-well then, uh, Giroro, should you ever… need me – in strictly friendly manner, might I add-!"</p>
      <p>Giroro let out a groan and burned his face into the pillow.</p>
      <p>Then something uncommon happened.</p>
      <p>As if waiting for that punchline all along, both froglike aliens let out an exasperated laughter that grew more honest with every moment and before they knew it they were doubling over, stomach's aching and fists punching at the sofa.</p>
      <p>Giroro cried again but this time it was from sheer impossibility to stop laughing, from this unbelievable ridiculousness they called adulthood, from their inability to lead a normal conversation about their feelings without acting like twelve-year-olds.</p>
      <p>It was downright embarrassing. And funny. It was truly funny.</p>
      <p>"What in the world is so amusing?"</p>
      <p>Upon seeing their boss, whom they both instantly imagined as a possible romantic candidate for the ninja, the two laughed even harder, not being too wiling and definitely not being able to explain to the frustrated Keroro just what had sent them the laughing fit moment ago.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>In the days that came, Giroro returned to his relatively normal self, trying to act casual around Natsumi and as always, reminding himself he was supposed to be a good friend before everything else. While it was difficult and at times hurtful, he was getting better. He actually managed to exchange a few words with Saburo, who yet again came over to work on summer homework with the redhead. By the time the boy left, Giroro felt exceptionally proud that he only once (<em>maybe</em> twice) got an urge to fling the boy out the window… however, the fact Natsumi didn't seem to swoon half as much around him as before – whatever the reason for that was – was a bit more comforting.</p>
      <p>...Perhaps Natsumi had the same sort of reasoning around the boy as Giroro had around Natsumi, he figured. Perhaps she realized making friends would be as good of a thing as anything else… and that pointlessly aching wasn't going to achieve much of anything.</p>
      <p><em>In the end, who really knows</em>, he thought one evening as he sat out, watching the stars and enjoying the dark for a change – since the incident with the dehydration, he wasn't so keen on roasting sweet potatoes over the fire anymore. Not for now, anyway.</p>
      <p>He was deep in thought, the fresh and cool evening after a scorching day helping his mind work and he came upon some very profound thoughts, thoughts about himself, about love and what feeling things like this was all about anyway… how much of a worth did they hold… how important was for everyone to know about everything… were feeling really worth that much of a hassle-</p>
      <p>Unfortunately, those deep ideas, clever words and wise conclusion all disappeared the moment he noticed a certain redhead sitting next to him and nothing but desperate, lovesick need to touch and hold, love and be loved to death remained.</p>
      <p>Even so, Giroro kept his cool when Natusmi addressed him.</p>
      <p>"Hey, Warrior."</p>
      <p>Giroro found himself smiling at the name. Natsumi had developed a habit- well, perhaps 'habit' was a strong word... But she did start using the amusing name for the Keronian every once in a while ever since he helped her with that homework for history class, impressed by the amount of knowledge he held about the wars of Pekopon. The fact she developed a nickname for him she alone used stirred that string in his heart that was stuck somewhere in between this utter devotion called love and that warm feeling that enveloped him whenever something, anything, narrowly nice happened.</p>
      <p>It was a complicated string she had been playing with all this time and it took quite a bit of self reflection for him to realize that.</p>
      <p>It seldom felt bitter. It felt like a flock of butterflies.</p>
      <p>He loved it.</p>
      <p>"Right back at you." He found himself cleverly responding, sometimes surprised by his own ability do to so around her. She grinned.</p>
      <p>"Enjoying the weather?"</p>
      <p>"Yeah..." Giroro replied slowly, "it feels like the perfect weather for… well, for not doing anything and enjoying yourself for a change."</p>
      <p>When she didn't reply, Giroro looked over. There was a fresh expression of surprise on her face.</p>
      <p>"… What is it?" Giroro asked and promptly blushed when Natsumi jerked, caught off guard and shook her head – the way her pigtails flew around her face held some special charm in Giroro's heart.</p>
      <p>"I- you're enjoying yourself!"</p>
      <p>"… Is that truly such a rare sight?"</p>
      <p>"It is!" And then she laughed, a sound so lovely, so much like ringing of the bells, so perfect.</p>
      <p>"… What's so funny?"</p>
      <p>"It isn't <em>funny</em>, Giroro!" Natsumi managed, the remains of laughter still escaping her. "It's amazing! I'm laughing because-" As if catching herself saying something inappropriate, she suddenly closed her mouth and… and Giroro wouldn't believe it if he hadn't seen it right there and then, barely illuminated by the lights pouring in from the living room but Natusmi, sitting here, in his presence, talking to him and laughing at something he was missing-</p>
      <p>She blushed.</p>
      <p>"… Because?" He found himself prodding, something he'd never dare doing before this summer started. But this was important. This he had to know. There was a feeling in his gut telling him so.</p>
      <p>Natsumi didn't refuse to reply. She didn't angrily get and up leave like he had expected of her, knowing her temper almost too well. She didn't even say anything, not right away, anyway. For a while, she was just looking at him.</p>
      <p>"Well..." When she finally spoke... "I'm laughing because I'm really happy for you." When she finally spoke, she lay one of her hands over his and Giroro was pretty sure, all over again, that he was dying.</p>
      <p><em>Ask her</em>, a voice, so much like Dororo's, rang in his head.</p>
      <p>No, said Giroro firmly. The voice didn't give up, each time a bit more encouraging.</p>
      <p>
        <em>Ask her.</em>
      </p>
      <p>I can't.</p>
      <p>
        <em>Ask her.</em>
      </p>
      <p>I want to but she'll-</p>
      <p>
        <em>Ask her.</em>
      </p>
      <p>What if she runs away?</p>
      <p>
        <em>Ask her.</em>
      </p>
      <p>… She can't run forever, can she? I know that <strong>I </strong>can't.</p>
      <p>
        <em>Ask her.</em>
      </p>
      <p>I have to deal with this.</p>
      <p>
        <em>Ask her, Giroro.</em>
      </p>
      <p>"Natsumi..."</p>
      <p>She stared at him like a deer caught in the headlight as Giroro finally managed to open his mouth, stare her straight into the eye, scared like he never was in his entire life and yet feeling as courageous as he could at the moment…</p>
      <p>"Natsumi, please tell me… What are you doing?"</p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. What are WE doing?!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>
        <strong>"...What are you doing?"</strong>
      </p>
      <p>The question came to Natsumi's mind like a slap to the face and she flinched, eyes wide, breath stuck.</p>
      <p>It was not his incredulous gaze, his confused eyes, or that fact his hand twitched underneath hers. None of that had made something sink in her stomach, not even the question that left his lips. It was a question of her own - a similar but different sort of question, a little mocking voice that reminded her a lot of Keroro's nasal tone, an annoying little prompt inside her mind that suddenly made her sick...</p>
      <p>
        <em>Really, Natsumi, what </em>
        <em>
          <strong>are</strong>
        </em>
        <em> you doing?</em>
      </p>
      <p>Her mind went blank, nothing but memories of the past summer unwinding in her head like a reel of film, every memory of every moment she had spent with Giroro, making her wonder just what in the world was she thinking when she first let their fingers touch. Just what was it that ran through her mind when she took his hand in her own, when she enjoyed his company so carelessly, when she inched closer and closer to him each time that she could…</p>
      <p>
        <em>What am I doing?</em>
      </p>
      <p>The redhead's hand left his and she was on her way to stand up.</p>
      <p>
        <em>What was I thinking?! I need to leave before-</em>
      </p>
      <p>She hadn't expected a small, strong hand grabbing hers, pulling her into a crouch and then there they were; eyes meeting, hands holding, both terrified, both confused, seeking answers and asking questions.</p>
      <p>In that moment, the sheer, sincere will to know what was it that both of them saw behind each others eyes transcended any sort of shame or embarrassment.</p>
      <p>...Was this what any of her friends ever went through? Had to go through? Will have to? Was this normal? Was this sort of confusion a relatively normal experience of a high school girl?</p>
      <p>But… but… no matter how much she sometimes wished it was as simple as she watched on the television, as simple as her friends made it out to be… Natsumi, after all these years in the company of aliens that so desperately loved to live on the planet they were supposed to conquer… after all this time, who was she to say what was normal and what was not?</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>He had no idea how he gathered the courage to grab her hand. No idea why he did it. There was no voice prompting him to do so, no friendly inner encouragement. It was… it was just the need to know. The need for her to stay. To be close, to…</p>
      <p>
        <em>To talk?</em>
      </p>
      <p>That was why. He needed her to speak. Heck, <em>he</em> needed to speak. He was done with this. As terrifying as it was, he couldn't hide so much anymore. It hurt too much for him to bear.</p>
      <p>… Was it selfish? The question suddenly overwhelmed any kind of courage he had at that moment and Giroro felt his blood running colder and colder.</p>
      <p>
        <em>Damn it, what am I doing?</em>
      </p>
      <p>It shouldn't have happened. He was being selfish, he didn't think, he-</p>
      <p>
        <em>What in the Hell am I doing?!</em>
      </p>
      <p>Seconds went by and Natsumi's eyes started to bore through him and suddenly shyness, nervousness, fear kicked in again, the basic instinct screaming at him to flee and Giroro already started letting go of her fingers, already thinking of what could he possibly say to fix this horrible, horrible mess-</p>
      <p>"Don't-" She began and never finished, her hand gripping at his.</p>
      <p>
        <em>Don't go.</em>
      </p>
      <p>Her single sentence, unfinished, barely uttered, stopped him in his tracks as easily as his hand stopped her and Giroro, finally knew that she- no, <em>they, </em>he dared to believe, <em>they wanted to talk</em> to each other.</p>
      <p>Their hands touching still, eyes never parting, Natsumi sat down next to the perplexed terrified warrior, looking at him with no trace of a smile, no trace of that dazzling smile she kept in store for him especially… only a pair of sad, fearful, confused eyes he nearly recognized as his own; and he felt as if his heart might leave his chest when she answered to his initial question...</p>
      <p>
        <strong>"I don't know."</strong>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. How should I ask You this...?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Giroro was lying in the grass and stared up at the sky, perfectly spotless sky decorated with many stars he came to know and even visited over the years and pathetically tried to count them in an attempt to distract himself into sleep. Sleep would not come to him that night however, he realized that soon enough and in the end didn't even bother trying his bed. In fact, he was pretty certain he would never sleep again.</p><p>He rubbed at his reddened eyes and sniffed. He had cried <strong>twice</strong> in the last week. This planet was going to be the death of the warrior everybody came to respect, he thought bitterly. Dororo would be proud, he was certain.</p><p>As the memory of the ninja came, so did questions. If Giroro were to tell him what just happened, would Dororo say he is proud? Would he say he's impressed? Or would he finally see the mess that Giroro had become and treat him as such? He doubted that. Dororo was too nice for that.</p><p>How was he going to describe this to him, anyway? There were no words to describe the feeling that kept Giroro's mind running. There was no way to tell if everything that just happened was even real. Perhaps he was stuck in some sort of weird dream… a nightmarish yet somehow pleasant dream.</p><p>… <em>Was</em> it a nightmare?</p><p>It wasn't <em>that</em> bad, was it?</p><p>No… no, come to think of it... it didn't go bad at all...</p><hr/><p>They sat sat outside by the formation of stones inside of which usually the fire burned brightly and smell of sweet potatoes was a given. Not tonight, however. There was just soft light of the living room and a sort of silence that was drowning in tension.</p><p>Giroro was the first who tried to speak and he knew he could, he knew he had to. What was there to tell except for <em>everything</em> after all, he thought sarcastically. There had to be something he could say, something that didn't necessarily had to be followed with his damn stuttering…</p><p>The silence stretched on and Giroro, suddenly flushed because he knew exactly what he would say – what he would <em>ask</em>, looked down at his feet before starting.</p><p>"Y-you knew, did-didn't you?"</p><p>He dared to look at her just as she did at him, both blushing and looking away.</p><p>"I- you told me, Giroro."</p><p>The Keronian blinked. <em>I have?</em></p><p>Recognizing his confusion, Natsumi gave in to a shy giggle.</p><p>"When haven't you, really… you... you told me so many times."</p><p>… That was fairly true.</p><p>"B-but it was not before… not before recently that I realized that- that I realized you had been telling me that for a while. You've been trying to tell me so many times." She paused. "It is very sweet of you."</p><p>Giroro was <strong>burning</strong>. She knew. All this summer, she knew… but she was still here. Not disgusted. Not running. Not angry. She called it sweet, even.</p><p>It was okay. It would be okay. He would make sure she didn't have to trouble herself with him anymore. They didn't have to fight and the fact made him calm. Made him resolute.</p><p>"I'm sorry. I'm nothing but a problem. Yet again I've put you in an unflattering position..."</p><p>"You really have, you know." There was that Natsumi-tone, that familiar, audible pout he loved to hear whenever it wasn't directed at him. His head hung lower every second so he never noticed she in fact said it with a playful smile.</p><p>"I- I'll do whatever I can to- I mean, I never thought it would be bothering you so much that you'd go out of your way to-" Natsumi didn't reply, which made him face the fact he was going to have to finish that sentence and his head hung even lower, face reddening further, "-to make me feel better. So, so if that would make you feel at ease, I could always, uh… I could always find a different place to put up my tent… or simply make sure to stay out of your way… I promise I won't be a bother, as long as you don't think any less of me… I would hate th-"</p><p>"Giroro, what in the world are you talking about?"</p><p>Giroro never even realized he was rambling like mad before she interrupted him and when she did she sounded even more confused than before. His reddened face met hers. Though visibly shy about his outburst of emotions, Natsumi carried the sort of look that clearly reflected her question.</p><p>"W-what do you mean, I-"</p><p>"Why would I want you to stay awa-" Then she abruptly blushed and it was a blush the likes of which he had never seen before; it was strong enough to nearly match her hair. "Y-you still don't get it, do you?!"</p><p>",,,Don't get what?" Giroro slowly started panicking.</p><p>"Oh, for Pete's sake!" Natsumi's face fell into her hands which did very little to hide the red of her face which was too strong for words or any laws of physics – it practically radiated off her. "I swear, you're worse than that stupid frog!"</p><p>"I have no idea what you're going on about!" Giroro snapped.</p><p>Natsumi took a deep breath, her stare fixated on the fence of their yard and slowly asked, still burning with red. "Giroro, I want you to tell me <em>precisely</em> what you think when I ask you this: just <em>what</em> do you think I'm sitting here for?"</p><p>"What are you sit- I-" Giroro was sure he'd turn to ashes any minute now, wondering why in the world would she make him explain himself like this when it was obvious to both of them. Perhaps there were messes in her head to be sorted out, as well?</p><p>He let out a shuddering breath. "I-I know you've j-just been trying to act nice about my-my f-feelings and being friendly about it… trust me, I, I tried the same…," he added bitterly, "but now… now that we're both seeing I can't handle simply being your friend," his voice turned uncharacteristically sad, "I'm nothing more than a nuisance… and that's exactly why we're sitting here. Because it can't go on like that."</p><p>He looked up again. Though still blushed, her face looked oddly straight.</p><p>"… I swear, you're more dense than all of those frogs put together."</p><p>"Eh?"</p><p>"Giroro, you do remember you helped me write my essay, right?! I don't have a way with words, I don't know how to express myself; Giroro, I-" She fell silent.</p><p>Suddenly, Natsumi stood up and the Keronian panicked he had done something wrong, feared she was going away; but before he could say anything or try to stop her, Natsumi started talking. "Don't worry, Giroro. You're not being a nuisance, at all."</p><p>She looked at him and there was softness on her face that he was mildly familiar with and her voice grew gentler with every word. "I'm just..." She cleared her throat. "I was a bit surprised… but I'm very flattered and I, I just figured I should let you know that…" Natsumi paused, took another breath of chilly, evening summer air, "… That you're appreciated. And that you're not… you're not in my way, or anything." She finished.</p><p>Giroro stared.</p><p>"… You- you mean, you don't mind if I- if I'm-"</p><p>"N-no, Giroro." Natsumi laughed, she actually laughed, he thought incredulously and continued: "I- I don't think it's weird, so… so you don't have to be so worried about it, jeez." With a blushing face, Natsumi suddenly smiled and it was <em>that</em> smile; a smile he called his own, a smile uniquely appearing whenever her eyes met his in mutual understanding. A smile she still felt he could have, he was worth giving.</p><p>"..."</p><p>"… Giroro?"</p><p>"..."</p><p>"Hey, are you alright?"</p><p>"… I'm great."</p><p>"G-Giroro?!"</p><p>The redhead hadn't expected the warrior to break down in tears of relief but as Natsumi crouched and pulled the poor, lovesick, bawling alien into a hug and listened to his apologies and his promises of how he'd be as little of a nuisance as he possibly could, Natsumi realized she had a much bigger problem of her own on her hands as she looked up at the distant stars and let out a sigh.</p><p>
  <em>Drats. In the end... I never got to confess properly.</em>
</p><p>After all, Hinata Natsumi <em>was</em> really bad with words.</p><hr/><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>
  <em>~The End...?</em>
</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>
  <strong>Just one more chapter - a lenghty epilogue - and the ride is wrapped up.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Thank you all for your patience.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Thank you for sticking with me through this silly thing.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Thank you for reading.</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. We Will</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>In the busy life of Hinata Natsumi, there was very little place (and nerves) for nonsense of any kind.</p>
      <p>When she had only started the first year of high school, Hinata Natsumi had enough on her hands as it was, even not counting the hectic state of her home and the fact it had suddenly become occupied by aliens. There were responsibilities awaiting for her, the duty of leading the class as the newly elected class president, the obligation of doing as best as she possibly could in the track team she had joined that year, not to mention the exams she needed to beat to be able to attend a good university one day – and that was the school life alone.</p>
      <p>Though she had many friends and was fairly popular all around, it came as an unfortunate surprise that, once you achieve a certain rank among your peers, a certain popularity if you will, a person will get an annoying need to retain that rank. As such, sometimes handling social life and squeezing it in with the obligations as school came across as more stressful than relaxing. Only sometimes, thank goodness, because it was at her home that the real chaos awaited her each and every day.</p>
      <p>At home, she had about just as many responsibilities as she had in school, with her mother always working and her father away on one of his trips that always took about an eternity or two to come to an end. For those reasons, Hinata Natsumi had many times secretly thanked whoever was responsible for putting Keroro and his platoon into her life. As annoying as they all were, as troublesome as they could be and as many times as they had destroyed this or that part of the her home (only to fix it up sooner than they'd break it down), Keroro did his chores with a surprising amount of reverence and passion and the rest of his friend proved to be quite useful when the necessity called.</p>
      <p>It, however, didn't make the job of watching out after them any easier.</p>
      <p>Every day, there was a chance the silly frogs would have a foolproof plan, that they'd get lucky or even accidentally take over the universe; whatever it was they were constantly up to, she always watched out to know about it as soon as possible. For those additional reasons, Hinata Natsumi had her hands full from day one.</p>
      <p>As the years passed however, she had to admit; the entirety of the Platoon found a place in her heart that could call them friends, even though she knew she could never openly admit it, not at that point anyway. As the frogs settled down, as they more than once defended the planet instead of trying to invade it, as they tried conquering it in downright ridiculous manners that weren't as harmful as they were simply ludicrous, there was more in more of her that felt like going along with the whole '<em>stop the invasion</em>' plan was more of a game rather than a dangerous mission she had embarked onto… and sometimes, she figured, the frogs didn't really want to take over or invade. They tried, they really did put their hearts into it… but she figured at this rate, they would prefer to indulge the life on Earth rather than dominate it.</p>
      <p>She looked back fondly at the memories of the aliens who had been spending a few short years in her home yet made it feel like at least a decade. It was a dangerous balance she had to manage - the balance of the normal life she once knew and the world of beyond the known boundaries of universe that somehow infiltrated the safe space of her home.</p>
      <p>That balance was hard to keep. It was for that very reason why Hinata Natsumi had once decided, from the moment the first frog-like alien appeared in her house, that there was very little place for nonsense.</p>
      <p>It was an old, wise decision of a fifteen year old with too much responsibility on her back.</p>
      <p>Natsumi grew up.</p>
      <p>When she first got accepted into the university of her choice, there was no member of the household nor a friend that wasn't invited to celebrate the girl's success. She recalled fondly the cramped living room of her home, where just about every person she ever met over the last few years, alien and not, had come together to offer their congratulations – some stuck around for some snacks and a conversation, while other burst in and got out in a flash (the latter more often than not being the alien friends she gathered over the time). It was strange how she had welcomed them all with warmth she didn't know she was capable of.</p>
      <p>When she first left her home to attend the said university, a different sort of gathering was organized. A farewell on the train station where she didn't expect anyone but her own family showing up. When the platoon showed up in its entirety, bringing along several of their closest friend, the redhead couldn't pretend anymore.</p>
      <p>That time, many tears were shed, both that of aliens and humans.</p>
      <p>When she first visited home from her university on one autumn weekend, it was like seeing all of them, family and friends, in a new light and she had realized:</p>
      <p>
        <em>I </em>
        <em>
          <strong>have</strong>
        </em>
        <em> grown up.</em>
      </p>
      <p>...Ironically, the more she grew, the more she learned that a little bit of nonsense was oftentimes a welcome change in life.</p>
      <p><em>They</em>, the now nineteen years old college student realized, helplessly smiling at her own train of thoughts,<em> they were the best nonsense that ever happened to me.</em></p>
      <hr/>
      <p>When she first left her home in pursue of her new academic life, Giroro didn't even cry.</p>
      <p>...Alright, he <em>may</em> have shed a tear but it was that damn sergeant of his who was at fault! Keroro simply had to make the damn farewell speech at the station that brought just about everyone to tears -even a few passengers. Sometimes it seemed like being an emotional wreck and turning others into one was just about the only thing Keroro could do right.</p>
      <p>But Giroro was not sad. He had no reason to be. Not after a summer- no, not after a <em>year</em> like this.</p>
      <p>The warrior sighed as he peeked out of his tent into the cold, winter evening. It was already dark, only lampposts illuminating the slow, gently falling snow and it took Giroro back and back, into the Christmas before this one, then into the last winter, the autumn that was before it and back into the summer of the last year, when everything had began...</p>
      <p>A year and a half had passed since the seething summer in which <em>something</em> had changed and there were many, many more changes in the life of the Keronian warrior ever since.</p>
      <p>There wasn't anything importantly different, not to anyone around him. There were still insane invasion ideas. The house got nearly blown to smithereens more times than he could count. Natsumi was still raging about the mess they would made and once she left home, constantly called back to check if everything was fine. Fuyuki was just as fascinated with the alien life as he ever was and started digging into the philosophical side of the alien existence. Everything was the same.</p>
      <p>Except his stutter was gone. Except he could look her in the eye. Except he could smile sincerely, he could lead a conversation and he could politely and friendly wish her good luck with her studies without getting sensationally emotional about it. Except he was at the kind of ease he wasn't familiar with since he first landed on Pekopon and they became friends to a degree he never hoped in his wildest dreams he'd achieve.</p>
      <p>… Whom was he fooling? Of course everything <em>had</em> changed and it changed beautifully.</p>
      <p>Before she went to college, during her last year of high school, it became the warrior's habit to help her with her History and Geography homework and for them to spend hours arguing over just how to write something, because they were both people of action rather than of words; <em>and</em> because Natsumi didn't always prefer Giroro's graphically poetic descriptions to the subtle, simple ones found in history books. In the end, homework <em>would</em> be written and Natsumi managed, to many people's surprise and to complete confusion of everyone around her, stay at the top of her class in the subject of History. And while Giroro was proud of her, he never knew she was secretly proud of him.</p>
      <p>She began teaching him recipes, much to his initial embarrassment. It started when she casually suggested they try to bake something else over the campfire and Giroro had responded, much to her surprise, that he had only ever ate sweet potatoes like this. The Pekoponian, of course, decided it couldn't possibly stay that way. The two spent their idle time snacking on various bits of campfire food, only for her to eventually drag him into the kitchen.</p>
      <p>The warrior was at first very adamant about <em>not</em> pursuing any sort of culinary hobby but when he first tasted the different kind of meals you could make with the sweet potatoes, he became just as adamant about learning to utilize the vegetable in just about every meal there ever was and Natsumi found that endlessly entertaining. It was often times a ridiculous and amusing process and it goes without saying he was to blame, more than once, for nearly burning down the kitchen. It was only thanks to Kururu's 'subtle' tweaking with the oven, that somehow came to life and put itself out, that any sort of disaster was prevented. Giroro couldn't help but wonder whether the yellow Keronian installed it there specifically as a precaution measure for them.</p>
      <p>… Perhaps even Kururu knew to lend a helpful hand of- well, perhaps not <em>friendship</em>, but sort of a partnership. Something to show respect, perhaps. Giroro was clever enough not to ask and to silently appreciate the assistance of the Keronian who still teased him mercilessly by pretending to have a crush of him. Somehow, it didn't annoy the warrior as much as before, though, for the purposes of amusement, he still liked threatening the technician in turn.</p>
      <p>He remembered when he first told Dororo what took place that July evening. He remembered how proud he was, how happy. He recalled how Dororo sometimes watched him from afar, catching his eye and giving him a reassuring nod before disappearing after Koyuki. It was so like Dororo to look out for him, to make sure he was fine and Giroro had never forgotten that kindness. It was during the period in which he built up his friendship with Natsumi that his friendship with the ninja blossomed as well, because the two did what Giroro had been frightened to do for ages – they talked. They exchanged thoughts. They discussed them. Giroro couldn't tell that but Dororo was not forgotten by his mind as easily as before anymore. Dororo in turn, appreciated it more than Giroro would ever know.</p>
      <p>It was an odd year and a half, indeed. Odd, and wonderful.</p>
      <p>The warrior snapped out of his musing when the breeze sneaked into his tent and sent a playful chill down his back, pulling him back from the past and into the present, into a today, a today that was far better than the nerve wrecking days of stutters and sweaty palms and helpless fantasies.</p>
      <p>… Giroro still loved her. More than ever, in fact. He'd still blush more often than he'd like and she would discreetly and helpfully pretend she didn't notice, only a small smile, or a light blush indicating she had seen his flustered face. He'd still greet every one of her visits home with reverence she wasn't aware of.</p>
      <p>He loved her more than he ever did,now that he knew he could.</p>
      <p>Sometimes, it was hard. But it wasn't nearly as hard as before. It wasn't so heavy on his heart now that he had a friend like Dororo to share the feelings with, when Natsumi had become a friend that was willing to see him through this.</p>
      <p>Giroro was happy.</p>
      <p>Smiling to himself, the warrior put on some clothes and a pair of dark winter boots, knowing the outside was far too cold at this time of year and figuring she'd make him wear something normal for this weather anyway and emerged into the snowy night, knowing Natsumi would be here soon.</p>
      <p>And really, more as if she had been waiting for him rather than the other way around, the girl emerged at the living room entrance the moment he stepped out of his tent, smiling at him.</p>
      <p>"Ready, Warrior?"</p>
      <p>"Ready."</p>
      <p>"… Hey hey, you forgot your gloves."</p>
      <p>"I can't fire a weapon with those things on."</p>
      <p>"Don't be ridiculous, Giroro, it's not like we'll get ambushed on our way to the store."</p>
      <p>"… Yeah, probably."</p>
      <p>"Better." Natsumi nodded. Lately, it was her own, subtle little way of encouraging him to let go of all the paranoia his mind had been drowning in over the years and she had to admit to herself proudly, it was working out slowly but steadily. He even felt relaxed enough to leave his weapons in his tent at some times.</p>
      <p>"What is it you need, anyway?" Giroro asked as the two left the house and headed down the street, Giroro once again wearing the collar that had made him appear as a mere child – only this time it was on his wrist. Kururu had ample of time to perfect it, starting from change in the design. Aside from the fact it now lasted for a much longer period of time, it was now (unbeknownst to Natsumi, of course) armed with enough subtle weapons to suffice instead of a gun, which was probably one of the resons he wasn't so stubborn about carrying a gun of his own everywhere. Giroro however figured he didn't really even need it for the disguise nor defense today – the snow-sprinkled streets were deserted.</p>
      <p>"What is it I <em>don't</em> need, more like." Natsumi commented, a pout audible in her voice. "There is nothing in the fridge! Ever since I left for college, it's like you guys have only been eating takeouts or something. I mean, I knew it would be my job to cook the dinner for Christmas Eve once I came over but you could've at least gotten all the ingredients."</p>
      <p>"S-sorry."</p>
      <p>"What? No, I don't blame you – heck, I don't even blame the stupid frog, even though I figured he would do something about it. No, I blame Fuyuki!" The redhead huffed. "He should be more responsible!"</p>
      <p>"Your brother isn't too keen about kitchen labor."</p>
      <p>"Well, he'll have to become. He's practically a grown man, for goodness' sake. He can't eat instant noodles for the rest of his life."</p>
      <p>Giroro chuckled – the absence of Natsumi turned the Hinata residence into a popular place among delivery businesses. Their family name was already well known in all nearby food delivery services and Natsumi had been gone for barely a semester. "It's been alright. Kururu likes to take over the kitchen on Sundays."</p>
      <p>Natsumi made a face. "Curry?"</p>
      <p>"Curry." Giroro nodded somberly. He paused. "And, well, every once in a while, I like to, uh..."</p>
      <p>"… You have been cooking for everyone?"</p>
      <p>"It-it's practically a hobby at this point, I can't help it!"</p>
      <p>She laughed at the way he embarrassingly snapped. He smiled to himself, trying to hide the spreading crimson in his cheeks and wishing he had brought a scarf to make it easier.</p>
      <p>The store was close by but it took them nearly half an hour to find everything they needed before starting back home with two bagfuls of food, chatting about the meals they were going to prepare.</p>
      <p>The trip back wasn't long, at least as far as Giroro remembered from the time he first visited it; yet the walk seemed to go on and on. It was only after Giroro realized he wasn't sure where they were anymore that he decided to speak up.</p>
      <p>"Natsumi, are we going the right way?"</p>
      <p>"Mm. We're almost there."</p>
      <p>Giroro said nothing and continued to follow before finally realizing they were taking a different route than the one that led straight home; the route around that took a bit longer. And he was glad she did, because it brought them to a familiar scenery.</p>
      <p>They emerged into the park that Giroro remembered from the hot summer day. The park spread out before him, not green and bustling with colours as it did when he and Natsumi first visited it but covered in a thin layer of snow. Trees that were once green now shimmered with ice underneath the street lights, looking hauntingly beautiful against the dark sky. The small water fountain she had once used to wash his hand, he recalled, was covered in ice and snow, resembling a weird looking statue.</p>
      <p>They walked through the park, surrounded and enjoying the winter beauty of it – which was, Giroro figured, why she wanted to pass through - when Natsumi stopped in her tracks and Giroro paused next to her, looking up curiously.</p>
      <p>"Do you remember when we walked this way, Giroro?"</p>
      <p>"Uh. Y-yeah..." He recalled a bit shyly.</p>
      <p>Natsumi put the plastic bagful of groceries to the ground. Then she took the bag out of his own hands and put it down, too. The Keronian blinked.</p>
      <p>"Is everything alright?"</p>
      <p>Natsumi didn't reply as she turned towards him. It was hard to tell because the cold had pinched at her cheeks and her nose but she seemed redder than before. Giroro proceeded to ask, worried:</p>
      <p>"You're not feeling ill, are you?"</p>
      <p>"I'm fine, Giroro. I just-" She took a breath of air. "I want to talk to you."</p>
      <p>The warrior felt his heart sink and suddenly everything he worked for, the last year and a half, the friendship he so carefully cultivated and nurtured seemed to be at danger of crumbling down. Was it something he had done? Something he didn't? Did she simply felt it was too much pressure?</p>
      <p>"O-okay." He merely managed in the end, waiting, fearing.</p>
      <p>Natsumi took another deep breath of air before reaching into her pocket and pulling out… a crumpled piece of paper.</p>
      <p>"I, I think you should finally read it."</p>
      <p>Confused, Giroro took off his gloves and slowly unfolded the paper, starting to recognize some of the words in it.</p>
      <p>
        <em>World… the second… casualties… Saburo-senpai… Giroro…</em>
      </p>
      <p>Giroro's fingers froze.</p>
      <p>It was the essay. The fake essay he had long ago decided not to read. The fake piece of paper that masked her inability to word. The fake homework that apparently held something incredibly valuable in it.</p>
      <p>With shaky hands, Giroro unfolded the paper.</p>
      <p>It was three paragraphs long. Half of it was copied straight out of the book she had read back then. Some of it was just rubbish, sentences such as '<em>This essay will haunt me in my dreams</em>' or '<em>Damn it</em>, <em>I can't concentrate</em>' or lyrics to songs he didn't recognize.</p>
      <p>It was only two sentences that were of the interest to the Keronian and when he reached them... Well, Giroro remembered experiencing an explosion once, an explosion of considerable strength in considerable vicinity of his head. While it miraculously didn't hurt him, he did recall being practically deaf for hours. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he shortly wondered if the same thing could be caused by shock because he could have sworn he couldn't hear anything for a span of several longest seconds of his life.</p>
      <p>"Now you know."</p>
      <p>Giroro looked up at her. Natsumi looked so restless, so happy, so nervous, so scared and so relieved at the same time. It was himself he was seeing in her eyes and the realization hit him harder than any enemy ever did. The crumpled piece of paper slipped out of his hands and into the snow.</p>
      <p>"You know I'm terrible with words, Giroro." Natsumi let out a short, breathy laugh as she looked away, into the darkness of the park, into the falling snow. "Well, maybe not as terrible as before. I could never tell you anything. All I could- all I could do, was <em>do</em>."</p>
      <p>He remembered the feeling of her fingers in his hand. His palm felt tingly and it had nothing to do with the cold.</p>
      <p>"And all I could actually do, was… was try and… and see for myself if I was being in the wrong or if I was fooling myself or- I just wanted to let myself know, first. I wanted to make myself see what was it… what was all that. I wanted to make <em>sure</em>."</p>
      <p>She paused. Giroro was quiet.</p>
      <p>"But I have been working on my words while I was away, Giroro, s-so," she pulled out another piece of paper, this one neat and new, and laughed uneasily, obviously nervous, "so uhm - well, they are not very good. They are pretty cheesy, really but... hear me out, okay?"</p>
      <p>Hinata Natsumi took another breath of air before letting out the few chosen words she had been working for more than a year on, face red, hand slightly shaking but her voice determined.</p>
      <p>"I… I know we are too different to be able to make it in the world together. I know we are too different to make it easy on the eyes of other people. I know we are too different to be able to look at ourselves and say '<em>we-we will be fine'.</em>"</p>
      <p>She didn't even look at the text she had obviously been memorizing for days, instead staring straight into his tearful eyes as she spoke.</p>
      <p>"I… I also know I can't help it. S-so knowing what you know now and knowing we can't make it in this world, I have only one question to ask."</p>
      <p>She crouched to his level and the warrior got lost in the colour of her eyes and the sound of her voice and depth of her question.</p>
      <p>"… Can I love you?"</p>
      <p>Giroro was crying without a word or a sound, silently and openly. If it weren't for his tears, it wouldn't have been obvious he was crying at all. He could only stare at this girl, this beautiful girl that had spent who knows how much time preparing these simple but meaningful words especially for him.</p>
      <p>He sniffed and the Pekoponian blinked.</p>
      <p>"G-Giroro, you'll freeze." She suddenly said - nervously, almost as if avoiding to hear his reply - and without thinking much about it, took off her own scarf and wrapped it around his neck.</p>
      <p>The warmth of it had a weird effect on the Keronian. It was as if it snapped him awake into the reality for the first time. Suddenly he knew what to say and what to do. Suddenly, he had the courage for it.</p>
      <p>As she was adjusting the scarf on his shoulders, his hands landed on hers and Natsumi paused.</p>
      <p>Eyes met.</p>
      <p>Both of them shy, both of them scared, both of them feeling like nonsense has to be something far more serious than people say it is, because all the nonsense, all the ridiculousness of the last few years culminated with this. With this beautiful thing that lingered in the air between them.</p>
      <p>Giroro inched closer.</p>
      <p>Two pair of eyes came to a close.</p>
      <p>The sensation was out of this world, out of any world Giroro had ever visited on his vast travels through the space. Completely lost in the warmth that engulfed him, it was only when he noticed the warmth had distanced from his lips that he blinked, found himself looking into the flushed face of the love of his life, smiling her unique smile only for him and suddenly realized a beautiful thing: this was only the beginning of another journey, another voyage, another adventure that might as well be greater than any visit to any faraway galaxy he ever visited.</p>
      <p>Wiping his tears, he gently pulled her into a hug and whispered the answer to her question.</p>
      <p>The answer wasn't audible to anyone but her, the sudden gust of wind carrying it away into the eternal unknown.</p>
      <p>… But it didn't matter what his answer was, anyway.</p>
      <p>The important thing was, it made Hinata Natsumi smile.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>
        <em>.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>Isn't it odd that even though I invited Saburo-senpai to write homework with me, it is not Saburo-senpai alone that is distracting me? I swear, this weird crush on Giroro will be the death of me.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>.</em>
      </p>
      <hr/>
      <p>
        <strong>.</strong>
      </p>
      <p>
        <strong>.</strong>
      </p>
      <p>
        <strong>.</strong>
      </p>
      <p>
        <strong>So we reach the end.</strong>
      </p>
      <p>
        <strong>I hope you enjoyed reading at least half as much as I enjoyed writing this.</strong>
      </p>
      <p>
        <strong>I usually don't have the custom to ask but seeing as this is the end of the story, I would just like to say a review would be greatly appreciated. It is always nice to know what kind of impact my writing has on people.</strong>
      </p>
      <p>
        <strong>Once again, a big </strong>
        <em>
          <strong>thank you</strong>
        </em>
        <strong> to every one of you who gave this the time of their day. Every review, every view and every favorite meant the world.</strong>
      </p>
      <p>
        <strong>Until the next story.</strong>
      </p>
      <p>
        <strong>( _ _ )</strong>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>